


Son Gohan The Destroyer

by EmeraldSaiyan



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Son Gohan-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 101,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26747353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldSaiyan/pseuds/EmeraldSaiyan
Summary: Death greets Gohan at the end of The Cell Games, yet instead of passing on to The Otherworld, Whis takes an interest in the young saiyan's incredible power and decides to train him as Lord Beerus' successor. With the balance of the universe at stake, Gohan accepts the deity's offer. (AU)
Relationships: Videl Satan/Son Gohan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. The End

**Planet Earth, Age 767**

A familiar scene, a change of heart, a drastic decision that will alter the fate of the universe forever. It is said that one's destiny is already set in stone, yet the consequences of our actions are so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future and by extension, destiny, is a very difficult business indeed. One small change, one rash decision can alter the ripple of time itself, break the chain, shift the winds of direction. And so it was that on this day in the month of May, in the age of 767 on a planet made of mud and water, did the destiny of a young boy come into question.

The entire world waited with baited breath as good challenged evil, as light struggled to overcome the darkness in a tournament of fighting skill and glory. One being strived to prove his perfection, whilst the other strived to unleash the imperfection within. The battlefield was painted red with blood, intermingled with the tears that spilled from the boys deep emerald eyes. The need to save his friends was overwhelming, and every strike, every blow that crippled them reached his ears in a sickening rhythm. They were going to die, he was going to loose them all.

He would not watch this anymore.

Then, there was rage, rage that ignited a fire in a young boy that refused to be put out. It was unyielding, consuming, as waves of rippling power washed over the battle field. The whole world shook with an agonising force, as the lad who had not even entered his teens struck the bio-android down with two mighty blows. The warriors, battle torn and bloodied beyond belief were awestricken, rooted to the spot as they stared disbelievingly at the once innocent little boy that had now surpassed every single one of them.

Hope swelled in their feverish hearts as the boy overpowered the malicious android, yet that hope slowly turned to worry and uncertainty. Perhaps the warriors of Earth had put too much faith in the boy? As it was with a painful realisation that he was growing reckless, cocky, especially when he had hit the android with so much force that the young woman was expelled within the depths of the beast's gut.

Fury, this time from the android, a threat to Earth, a young boy's mistake and a father's sacrifice. It was over, and the pint-sized competitor fell to his knees. Golden spikes of hair fell about his face, tears intermingled with blood, sweat and dirt. Son Gohan sobbed, the desperate, heart wrenching cries for his father echoing around the barren wasteland. He could feel the eyes of his friends burning into him, and through his grief could he just make out his father's best friend talking to him in hushed tones, a strong hand clasped firmly against his shoulder in reassurance.

Suddenly, laughter cut through the air like a knife, and a familiar bundle of Ki's illuminated his senses. Cell was back, gloating fuchsia eyes leering at the young saiyan as he stood before them, more powerful than ever before.

And the path of destiny diverged.

Gohan's grief overwhelmed him, his blood boiled over and he leaped at the android before anyone could blink, ignoring the startled squarks and roars of desperation from his friends. Lightening bolts rippled over his golden aura as he manically charged at Cell, yet quickly found that the android was managing to keep up with him. It was no longer a tournament of perfection, of proving ones worth. No, it was a battle of vengeance and desperation, a furious scrap between two titans, a fight to the death - and it was close.

The Z-Fighters took to the air, as sonic booms caused the ground below them to shake uncontrollably. They watched disbelievingly, as the eleven year old's eyes glinted with malicious intent, striking powerfully at the android before he was knocked back just as hard.

Cell chuckled as they broke apart, "You're letting your anger blind you boy."

Gohan snarled, his broken heart pumping with adrenaline, "I'll make you pay Cell."

"In your condition?" He scoffed mockingly, "I highly doubt it. Though it would be interesting to see how much further I can push you."

The young super saiyan gritted his teeth, just what was that monster planning?

Suddenly, his eyes widened, as Cell directed an outstretched palm towards the Earth, "My my Gohan, just how many more innocent bystanders are you going to let me kill before you fulfil your promise of destroying me?"

"NO!" He roared, as a bright yellow beam erupted from his palm and careened towards a young girl with pigtails, who was cowering behind a nearby rock formation.

Gohan was quick to act, and in a burst of golden Ki, he propelled himself through the air, grabbing the girl by the waist and protecting her from the murderous blast. Pure agony ripped through his left arm as the attack hit, knocking him to the ground and on top of the girl. He could hear her shrieks over the sound of his own cries of pain, but knew that he had taken the hit full force. Blood spewed unforgivingly from his bicep and shoulder, his shoulder blade shattered and his arm dislocated from the socket. He panted as the dust subsided, and looked into the girl's fearful sapphire eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked, gritting his teeth in pain.

She nodded, "Y-yes, t-thank you for saving me."

He gave her a goofy smile, despite the pain he was in, blushing a little as he realised he was still firmly on top of her. He had no idea where she had come from, he certainly hadn't seen her before. Though it was evident that she was some kind of martial artist, she wore a white karate style gi that was now dirt laden and singed from the explosion. Her short raven pigtails were frazzled, settling on the shoulders of her gi which had the mark of ' _Satan Dojo_ ' embellished on the chest.

They clambered up slowly, helping each other to their feet as the girl gaped at his useless arm.

"Y-you're hurt!" she gasped, tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry about me, just get to safety," Gohan pressed, his features suddenly becoming stern as he looked towards the smirking android in the air.

"Videl! VIDEL! Oh my little girl!" The booming voice of Mister Satan gushed, running towards them and tumbling over himself. The camera crew, along with his flamboyant students were hot on his tail. "What are you doing here?! It's too dangerous!"

"I-I'm sorry Daddy," she sniffed guiltily, as the enormous man engulfed her into a protective hug,"I just wanted to see you fight!"

"Y-you," The Champ stammered in awe, his eyes averting to the young saiyan, "You saved her."

Gohan sighed, he could feel the android's wicked energy pulsating above him, attacking his senses in white hot waves. He knew that it was no use, his energy was completely cut in half. Still, he needed to give the others time to escape.

"Please, get as far away from here as fast as you can," he stated boldly, giving the group who were looking at him with a mixture of disbelief and terror one last glance before kicking off from the ground and firing himself back towards the awaiting Cell.

"Your fight is with me Cell," the pre-teen growled, his eyes narrowing at the android, "Leave everyone else out of it."

"Interesting," Cell observed, "You are severely injured and yet you still insist on fighting me. Surely you realise that your efforts will be in vain."

"Less talking, more fighting," he seethed, causing the android to erupt into laughter.

"As you wish," he smirked, before Gohan was met with a crippling head-butt.

He was seeing stars, yet quickly recovered, phasing in and out and dodging Cell's attacks as quickly as he could.

"You can't dodge me forever!" Cell snarled, and then suddenly he disappeared.

The halfling whirled around, his eyes darting about him, until a sudden shriek from below reached his ears. Cell's energy was directly behind him, and the young saiyan felt the horror crawl up his throat and lodge there, as long cold fingers stretched out on the curvature of his back.

"Incase you're wondering," came the monster's sadistic tone, "it's a little trick I learned from your dear departed father when he attempted to destroy me. It's how I was able to come back to Earth, and it's the very same trick that I'm going to use to end you, you little brat."

Instant transmission? But how? How had he learned his father's technique so quickly? But there was no time to ask questions, as a blood curdling scream echoed around him, and a searing heat cut through his back, ripping through his torso and shooting out the other side. Gohan watched the Ki blast careen off into the distance in shock, and it took a while for him to realise that the screams of agony were his own. Blood filled his throat, the metallic taste causing him to gag and the red liquid to spill forth from his lips. His transformation left him altogether, his golden locks quivering before returning to it's usual ebony as he hit the dusty ground, lying in a pool of his own blood, that was rapidly haemorrhaging from his body.

"GOHAN!" he heard several of his friends scream, yet his head was swimming, his vision blurred.

His entire body was going into shock, sending signals of alarm and terror rushing to his brain. Yet he mustered all his strength to focus on his deadly opponent, and he could just about make out Cell landing before him, before turning around to smirk at his distraught friends in the sky.

"So, who is going to be my next challenger?" The android asked smugly, chuckling to himself, "Oh come now, don't be shy! Though I suppose it doesn't matter now, if you forfeit it'll only make me destroy the Earth faster. It's up to you, the great Goku and your precious little brat are dead. Vegeta? Come, why not try to avenge your fallen race for old times sake?"

Gohan frowned, had the android missed something? He may have been dying but he was certainly not dead. Had Cell gotten so cocky that he thought a badly aimed Ki blast would finish him off that quickly? His heart was still beating for goodness sake!

"Tick tock," Cell smiled sadistically, "You're only prolonging the inevitable. Once I've destroyed the Earth, then I'll move onto other planets. Oh yes, Doctor Gero designed me for one purpose only, but now I have achieved killing Goku I know that I am destined for so much more. I AM THE UNIVERSES END! I AM PERFECTION!"

Gohan growled as the stupid bug continued to gloat, he was in so much pain! But he couldn't just roll over and die when Cell was about to destroy everything he had ever loved. Android Sixteen had died for him, his father had sacrificed himself for them all, and now the entire Earth was next on his list, along with countless other planets. He would not stand for it, he would not let one death go unaccounted for - not one.

A surge of untapped energy suddenly erupted within him, his golden aura sprang to life as Gohan willed all the Ki he had left to come to the surface. His aura cracked with lightening bolts, his hair flashing gold and spiking upwards, his onyx eyes turning a vibrant green. The young saiyan used his Ki to push himself upright, staring daggers at the monster who all but turned to look at him in bewilderment. A startled gasp escaped the Z-Fighters at the sight of the blood soaked super saiyan. He was half dead, though before Cell could even get a good look at the ascended boy, did a Ki blast rip right through his torso, straight through his blackened heart.

"W-well, you can't be that p-perfect," Gohan panted, falling onto one knee, "F-first rule of battle, stupid, d-dont ever turn your b-back on your opponent. Y-you must have got t-those shit for brains cells from F-Frieza."

The android made a horrifying gargling sound with his throat, as he choked on his own blood, "W-why you little-!"

"KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAAA!" The young boy roared with all his might, pushing every last ounce of strength he had into the bright blue blast that erupted from his palm.

His left arm lay useless by his side, his torso bleeding unforgivingly. His body was ripped to shreds, and he could almost feel his organs shutting down one by one. Cell's screams echoed in his ears, along with the frantic shouts of his friends. He poured everything he had into the Kamehameha Wave, thoughts of his mother and father swirled in his mind, Mister Piccolo, Krillin and the rest of the Z-Fighters. He would not let them down, he would take Cell to Otherworld with him! Gohan unleashed a howl of rage and agony, as the entire planes were engulfed in a vibrant blue hue. The entire Earth was shaking, but the pre-teen knew he had to push on. Tremors rocked the planets surface, the clouds darkened and lightening bolts cracked across the sky, intermingling with Gohan's pulsating aura.

Then, as Cell's Ki winked out of existence, Gohan collapsed to both knees, his transformation gone, his energy spent. The Super Kamehameha burst threw the clouds, dispersing the darkness and bathing the battle field in the glorious May sunlight. The young saiyan watched it fly off into the atmosphere, into the stars where he knew his father would be waiting for him beyond. Tears coursed down his fevered cheeks as utter agony fled through every part of his body. Piccolo was beside him before he could face-plant the ground, rolling him over so that he was looking up at him.

"Gohan, Gohan stay with me!" Piccolo ordered, though his usual gruff tone sounded frantic and thick with emotion.

"H-he did it, he actually did it!" Yamcha gasped, uncaring that he had knelt in the rapidly forming pool of blood that escaped him, "Come on mate, you did it, you need to stay with us. Please."

"We need to get him to Dende," said Tien solemnly, "But I think it might be too late."

"W-we'll wish him back," Krillin choked, unable to keep his tears from falling, "Did you hear that kiddo? We're going to wish you back."

"Is there anything we can do?" Trunks' voice cut through the air sadly, "For the pain."

"I'll just hold him," Piccolo stated, before cradling him close, "It's going to be alright kid. We're so proud of you."

The young boy opened his eyes slightly, his breathing slow and erratic now, he could see all of his friends around him. The friends that had loved and guided him, fought for him and died for him even. They watched him intently, solemnly, and Gohan realised with sadness that it was only a matter of time. Kami, he must have looked a gruesome sight. Vegeta stood back, though was staring at him with an expression that he couldn't quite place. He spotted Mister Satan and his daughter a ways off with their little group, the quiet sobs of the blue eyed girl reaching his ears. He wished they wouldn't cry, he didn't deserve to be cried over. Krillin was closest to him with an unconscious Android Eighteen over his shoulder, and he brushed his fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to sooth his pain.

Slowly, his eyes found the coal black orbs of the person that held him, although they were shining with emotion.

"M's-sorry M-mister Piccolo," Gohan whispered, unable to stop more blood pouring from his mouth.

"Gohan, you have nothing to to be sorry for, do you hear me?!" Piccolo cried, holding the boy tighter to him, "Gohan! GOHAN!"

The Namekian's cries were followed by silence, as the young saiyan's life energy disappeared.

"H-he's gone," Krillin sniffed, looking sadly at his comrades.

Piccolo sighed, scrunching his eyes in despair as he slowly closed Gohan's eyes. He couldn't look at those deadened onyx orbs any longer. Yet no sooner had he removed his hand, did the boy's body suddenly disappear. The Z-Fighters said nothing for a while, instead they stared at the bloodied ground where he had been, as they all knew the reason why he had been allowed to keep his body in the next life. A sacrifice that should never have been. Too many had been sacrificed that day, Android Sixteen, then Goku and now Gohan. Yet hope that they would see their friends again carried them to The Lookout, and none of them even turned back to hear the frantic cries of one Hercule Satan and his daughter, who were in desperate need of a lift home.

The healing hands of the young Namekian soon restored the warriors energy, though did nothing to ease the gaping hole in their hearts.

"They'll be back in no time," Krillin stated boldly, giving them a wry smile as they stood before the glowing dragonballs, "You'll see."

The Eternal Dragon came forth in a summon of words and a spectacular swirl of golden light and soon enough the great world eclipsing body of Shenron towered before the battle torn warriors, red eyes regarding them curiously.

"You have summoned me," Shenron growled, "I can allow you two wishes, state your first wish."

"Shenron, can you bring all the people that were killed by Cell back to life?" asked Krillin with hope in his eyes.

"Your wish has been granted."

A swell of energy below The Lookout told them that all those lost on Earth had been restored, bubbling and buzzing with life on the planet below. However, their young friend was nowhere to be seen.

"That doesn't make sense," Yamcha frowned, "Where are Goku and Gohan?"

"Goku has been wished back once before," Piccolo said wisely, though his eyes darted around him curiously, looking for his student, "Though we could use the Namekian dragonballs to bring him back."

"But why isn't Gohan here?" asked Krillin worriedly.

"Maybe because Gohan wasn't… killed… directly by Cell it didn't work," offered Trunks tentatively, "He died of his injuries."

"Oh yeah, we might have to wish Gohan back separately then," Krillin said thoughtfully, "But what about Goku?"

" _Hi everyone! What's the problem?_ " came a cheerful voice from above, causing their eyes to boggle.

"Kakarot?!" Vegeta growled disbelievingly, "Is that you?"

" _Yeah, I just passed through the check-in station and King Kai told me that there's a problem, but he won't tell me what it is_!" he whined almost childishly.

"Well, we don't know what to do Goku," said Yamcha, "We've only got one wish left and we're trying to decide who to use it on first."

" _What do you mean?_ " asked the deceased warrior, " _Just wish Dende to Namek and then he can summon Porunga, I don't mind waiting a little while. Though I can't wait to see Gohan and Chi-Chi again. You were amazing son, I'm so proud of you_."

The occupants of The Lookout shared an aghast look, did he not know?

"Goku," Krillin said carefully, "I don't know how to tell you this, but Gohan… Gohan isn't with us."

A pause, " _Eh? What are you on about Krillin?_ "

"Your son is dead Goku!" Piccolo snapped suddenly, causing all heads to turn towards him in shock, the Namekian was positively seething.

" _W-what?!_ " Goku spluttered, " _B-but he can't be!_ "

"Well you'd better start believing it Goku," he snarled, "Gohan is dead, and it's all your fault."

" _No Piccolo you don't understand, Gohan CAN'T be dead_ ," he explained hurriedly, his voice breaking at the revelation, " _I've just passed through the check-in station and he wasn't there. Hell, I can still see the check-in station form where I'm standing and he's not there!_ "

"But that doesn't make any sense," Vegeta scoffed, "The brat disappeared before our eyes."

"It is true," Shenron suddenly boomed from above, "The one named Son Gohan has not passed through the Check-In Station to Otherworld."

"W-what?" Yamcha's eyes widened, "So he's not dead? Then wish him here!"

"The one named Son Gohan is not alive, nor is he within the realms of the dead. He is in a dimension that I have no control over. I cannot reach him there, nor can I bring him here," the dragon explained.

"B-but what does that even mean?!" Krillin gaped, as the gang looked towards Shenron in bewilderment, "You're telling us that Gohan can't come back to Earth?"

"That is correct."

Silence rained upon them, before the eternal dragon spoke once more.

"Choose another wish."

" _Krillin, wish Dende to Namek_ ," came Goku's stern yet troubled voice, " _I'm coming home, and we're going to find my son_."

* * *

**A Far Away Dimension, The Living World, Age 767**

When Gohan opened his eyes, he was met with the strangest scene he had ever come across in his life; and that was saying something, given everything that he had been through in his short eleven years. He was surrounded by an amber sky, that was streaked with red and orange clouds. He could depict many moons and planets hanging like stars in the distant sky, that cast eerie shadows over the emerald grass that he was stood upon. An enormous tree stood before him, looking rather ancient with branches that twisted and turned as it spilled upwards, and he could just about make out several stone buildings etched into the bark.

He frowned, the last thing he remembered was battling Cell, a hole in his chest, being encompassed by blinding rage and being surrounded by his friends when… oh bugger.

Spotting a sparkling ravine nearby, the halfling raced over the grass and kneeled down to get a good look at his reflection. His purple gi was in tatters, though he was glad to see that he was devoid of any injuries, the gaping hole in his torso would not be a pretty sight to behold. He gulped, reaching up to touch the shining golden circle above his head.

Yup, he was definitely dead.

Staring at the reflection of planets and stars, he knitted his eyebrows in thought and asked aloud, "So, this is Otherworld?"

"Oh no my dear boy, far from it in fact."

Gohan jumped a mile at the sound of the sudden voice. It had caused him so much of a fright in fact, that the boy fell into the water, coughing and spluttering as he struggled to grab a hold of the river bank.

A musical chuckle reached his ears, and soon Gohan found himself levitating in the air before falling in a heap on the ground. He coughed up the water that had flooded his lungs as his face hit the dirt, his nose almost touching a pair of shiny black shoes. The young saiyan looked up, finding that the shoes belonged to a teal-skinned man, with rather effeminate features. He had white hair that was styled into a neat quiff atop his head. He was dressed in odd looking black and maroon robes, along with a black cuirass with white and orange diamonds adoring it. He held a long sceptre in his delicate palm, complete with a spherical gem hovering above it.

The strange man smiled at Gohan kindly, aqua eyes surveying him in amusement.

"W-who are you?" asked the young boy, clambering to his feet hurriedly, a little embarrassed at his display.

"Dear child, my name is Whis," he chuckled, "And you are Son Gohan, I presume?"

He blinked, "H-how did you know my name?"

"Oh I know a lot about you, young saiyan," said Whis, his voice calm and unwavering, "I also know a lot about the extraordinary power you have within, which is the reason why I have brought you here."

"Sorry but where is 'here' exactly?" he asked, "You said this isn't Otherworld, and aren't I supposed to go there to get judged and stuff, Dad said-"

"Ah yes," Whis interrupted, "Your father. He is the saiyan that defeated Frieza isn't he?"

Gohan's eyes widened at the man's in-depth knowledge of his family, "Well, kind of, but how did you know that?"

"A deity such as myself is well informed of the trials and tribulations of the universe young one," Whis informed him.

"A-a deity?" the boy gaped, "You mean like King Kai?"

"I think God is the term you are looking for Gohan," he smiled, "This world is home to Gods after all, the North Kai as you know of from your father, is not permitted to step foot upon these grounds, being of lower rank."

Gohan stared at the strange deity, just where was he?!

Whis grinned, "Care to take a walk with me Gohan?"

"Um, alright," he replied, following Whis a little apprehensively.

They walked in silence for a while, passing through a well kept garden before Whis spoke again, "This is a world that exists in the land of the living, separate from Otherworld, but within a dimension of it's own."

The halfling listened intently, staring up at the man as they strolled along a winding cobbled path of stone.

"In the beginning of the universe, there was All. All gave life and destruction to all things, eventually causing a cataclysm of events that let to the creation of dimensions, Otherworld and the living world. The Sacred Realm of the Kai's was created, and a Kaiju grew from the buzz of life energy that resided there. From that tree, grew the golden fruits that sprouted deities known as The Supreme Kai. The Supreme Kai and their attendants took on their role of creating planets and life across the universe, but with a vast array of planets to care for, four other Kai's where chosen to watch over each quadrant, with a Grand Kai watching over their affairs. However, with creation comes destruction, as the universe can become imbalanced if they are not equal. Do you know what that would mean if the universe became imbalanced Gohan?"

"Well, um, I suppose something not very good," he offered, trying to wrap his head around the notion of all these deities even existing.

"You would be correct," said Whis with a small smile, "If there is only life, then the fabrication of the universe can unravel. Although mortals are complex in their ways, there is only so much war and disease can do, so it was reasoned that with Gods of Creation, there must be a God of Destruction."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Gohan, frowning.

"I'll get to that," he said kindly, as they walked beside a sparkling lake, "You see, Gods of Destruction cannot simply be created and plucked from a tree. They must hold mortal qualities to be able to fully understand the consequences of their actions. Otherwise the immense power they wield, along with their responsibility can go to their heads, and horrific things could happen. All, or The King of Everything as he is sometimes referred to, has a powerful attendant called the Grand Minister. He is an Angel that gave life to other Angels, who are tasked with overlooking the Gods of Destruction and Creation and ensuring that the universe reminds in balance. However we mainly act as attendants and trainers for the Gods of Destruction and because they have to be so powerful, there is only one permitted for each universe."

"You say 'we'," said Gohan, eyes wide, "Does that mean you're an Angel?"

"Yes Gohan, it does," Whis smiled, "And I am currently an attendant of Lord Beerus, The God of Destruction for this universe."

"This universe? You mean there's more than one?!" he gaped in astonishment.

"Why of course," said Whis, "There are in fact twelve universes. We are the seventh."

"Woah, that's mental!" he squeaked.

"Quite," he chuckled, before he came to a halt, staring at the young saiyan intently, "But I have not brought you here just to describe the structure of the multiverse to you Gohan, there are much more pressing matters that I need to attend to."

"Oh, like what?" he blinked.

Whis cleared his throat, "Lord Beerus is at a time in his life where he will soon need to start looking for an apprentice. Time is not in abundance to even Gods, and time is ticking. Lord Beerus has only but a few hundred years to find someone to train before the end of his life cycle. I have been watching you for a while Gohan, your power interests me. Your intentions are pure yet there is such rage in your heart. You are young, yes, eleven Earth years are not much to show by ways of experience, but you have fought more battles than most mortal warriors have done in their lifetime. Your power is extraordinary, and I, for one, think you are the perfect candidate."

Gohan gulped, the word 'perfect' causing him to shudder, having heard it roll off Cell's tongue over and over again. "Sir, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that the God of Destruction of universe seven will soon be no more," said Whis, "And I want you to become his successor."

* * *

_This Chapter was originally posted on 23rd April, 2018 on FF.net._

* * *


	2. The God of Destruction

He had to be joking. Right? Gohan stared at the Angel in question, who was looking towards him with expectant eyes. A God? He couldn't do it, he couldn't become a _God_. And especially not one of destruction! Gohan fought for life, love and his friends, he didn't do it for chaos and mayhem. He was just a kid!

"I sense you have some reservations," observed Whis.

_Oh, you think?!_

"Sorry Mister Whis," said Gohan politely, "But I have to get to my family, they'll be wishing me back to life with the dragonballs back on Earth soon and my mum will be really worried."

"Hmm, Earth dragonballs you say?" he said thoughtfully, "Ah, yes that's right you did have a Namekian guardian named Kami on your planet didn't you?"

The young saiyan nodded, "Please sir, my mum will be really angry and my dad-"

He stopped short, guilt pooling in the pit of his stomach. What would his father think of him? Would he be angry? Angry that he messed up so bad and he had to sacrifice his own life to save them?

Reading his thoughts, Whis spoke, "You wanted to make Cell suffer, didn't you Gohan? You wanted to destroy him for what he did."

"I-I don't fight because I want to," said Gohan, a shuddering breath escaping him, "I fight because I have to. Cell, I had to take him down, my father already died protecting me, and I wasn't going to let him getting away with causing any more pain. He was going to destroy everything. I only killed him because I had to, I didn't have another choice."

Whis gave him a knowing smile, "Gohan, there is a saying that those best suited to power are those that have never truly sought it. And despite your pure heart and intentions, I have never seen power explode in such an exceptional manner as yours. It could feel it from all the way over this side of the universe."

Gohan's eyes widened, he didn't think he was _that_ strong, "What? Really?"

"Oh yes," said the deity, "You have a great gift inside of you Gohan, I sense hidden strengths that can go far beyond what you have achieved today in your battle against Cell. If you accept, I can offer you training unlike nothing else you have put your body through before, but it will be worth it. You could achieve a higher power that some mortals can't even imagine in their wildest dreams. I have no doubt in your abilities, and you would be doing the universe a greatness my boy."

The pre-teen thought for a moment. It did seem like an amazing opportunity, he knew that his father would jump at the chance to improve, test his strengths and achieve a divine power. But Gohan was not his father, he had proven that today when he had gotten cocky and reckless against Cell. Son Goku would have ended the fight quickly and swiftly, not _tortured_ Cell to within an inch of his life, no matter how evil he was. He could only bet on just how disappointed his father must be of him. He wanted to apologise, to feel his father's fingers ruffle through his hair and tell him that everything was going to be alright. He wanted to cry into his mothers arms, tell her just how sorry he was that he went off to fight, and hear her tut and tell him to stop being silly and how proud she was of him, before wiping his tears and forcing him into the kitchen for a well deserved family dinner. Together.

Gohan sighed, "I just want to go home Sir, please."

"Well that is disappointing," the Angel said sadly, "I had such high hopes for you, young one. Though I suppose I'd better let you enjoy what time you have left with your family and friends. Oh Lord Beerus won't be happy about this one, we'll have to make an appointment with The Grand Priest and tell him that they'll be short of another universe."

"Wait, didn't you say that you had another couple hundred years?" the young saiyan piped up, panicking slightly, "Surely you could find someone by then!"

"I've been looking for a power like yours for the last five-hundred years Gohan," Whis sighed, "I'm afraid it'll be too late to find someone now, with only a couple of centuries left the universe will start to fall in on itself soon. Beerus has been taking more naps recently, meaning he hasn't done that much destroying. Time is simply running out."

His eyes widened, the universe was going to collapse?! And if what Whis was saying really was true, that his power could amount to that of Gods, he would be powerful beyond measure. A God of Destruction though… what would his mother and father think of him? What would Piccolo say? It wasn't exactly an honourable duty to destroy worlds… or was it? This Lord Beerus was effectively doing his duty by not allowing the universe to implode. And if Gohan didn't step up to the plate, then it would mean the end of everything… just like against Cell.

He gritted his teeth, thoughts of his mother and father whirring around in his mind. They didn't deserve to die, not after giving him everything, life, love and the power to do and know better. Gohan's eyes hardened, he would not let anyone die for nothing. He would not make that mistake again.

Whis was watching him carefully, and he was certain that he was reading his mind as he spoke, "If you do this Gohan, know that you may never return to Earth again. You will become a deity in training, and will only be permitted to mix with mortals on missions."

The young saiyan closed his eyes tightly shut, struggling with himself.

"There is a time that comes in everyones life, where one must make the choice between what is right, and what is easy, some a lot sooner than others" said Whis wisely.

The young saiyan sighed, the Angel's words ringing true. Something stirred within him, the deep rooted sense of duty he had inside causing him to finally make up his mind. It would be hard, so incredibly hard. He might not see his family and friends again, which was difficult to process for such a young boy. But Son Gohan was wise beyond his years, he had overcome nigh impossible feats in his life, and this was no exception. He knew what was at stake, and it was at that moment that he decided to abandon his selfish feelings. It was either his happiness until he died, or the death of everyone else in the entire universe.

He closed his eyes in a silent prayer, _I may not become the warrior you wanted to take your place Dad, nor the scholar you wished for Mum, but I hope you'll forgive me. This is something I_ ** _have_** _to do, not just for myself, but for the universe._

Slowly, the young saiyan smiled up at the Angel who beheld him curiously, "Alright, I'll do it."

"Excellent," Whis positively beamed, "Now Gohan, what do you-?"

**KA-BOOM!**

The pre-teen yelped, as suddenly, a moon exploded in the sky, sending dust and debris flying through the air. It shook the ground beneath their feet, and Gohan had to dig his heels into the grass to stop himself from toppling over. The blast was so fast that he had nearly missed it, but he was certain that it had come from one of the buildings embedded into the gigantic tree.

"Oh well, at least it was only a moon this time," the blue skinned deity sighed in distain before clasping a hand onto Gohan's shoulder and encasing them in a green bubble of Ki, "Come Gohan, let's go and meet Lord Beerus, judging by that display he's quite obviously managed to drag himself out of bed. I bet he's getting hungry by now."

At the sound of food, the halfling's stomach gave a tremendous growl, causing the Whis to look towards him in shock, "What the devil was that?"

"Oh, that was my stomach Sir," he blushed, "I haven't eaten since breakfast what with the battle against Cell and all."

Whis chuckled, "Well, they'll be plenty of food later. Oh yes, I think that you and Lord Beerus will get along quite swimmingly."

And like that, they were off, speeding across the amber sky encased by the green orb. Gohan gasped at the beautiful scenery below him. Acres and acres of green landscape seemed to go on for miles, with glistening lakes and patches of dark yet bountiful forests embedded within the valleys. But he didn't have change to admire it for long as soon they had arrived in what appeared to be an enormous stone temple situated within the old enormous tree.

"Woah, what was that?" asked Gohan in awe, as the orb they were encased in disappeared.

"Ah, a little technique called levitation," he explained simply, "I can manipulate anything to move as I desire."

"That's so cool!" he chirped, a little excited, "Will I get to learn that?"

"One step at a time young one," the Angel chuckled, "Now, follow me."

The temple was rather dark in Gohan's opinion, with regal looking furniture, stone walls and floors. They passed a large aquarium that ran the length of one of the corridors, various odd looking fish of all shapes and sizes seemed to follow him as he walked.

"Ah, Lord Beerus, ready for dinner already I see," Whis chimed as they suddenly came to a halt.

They had just entered what looked like a throne room, with large rising archways etched in the stone. Gigantic tree roots seemed to be holding the stone in place, encircling around pillars and lining the walls. There was a long table filled with various odd looking delicacies, though the smell was wonderful. A large throne sat in front of them, the back of which was facing towards them. It was obvious to Gohan that there was someone in it, and he could see long pointed ears protruding from it's seat. He stopped short, feeling suffocated all of a sudden. There was so much _pressure_ in the air, as though a ton of solid brick had just landed on all of his senses. Come to think of it, he couldn't sense anything from this Lord Beerus either, nor Whis for that matter. Could it be that this unbreathable pressure was coming from The God of Destruction himself? It was unbearable, _unbelievable._ Though it didn't seem evil in any way, just _wrong_. He had never felt anything like it.

"You woke me up earlier than we planned Whis, this had better be good," came the voice from the chair. It was cold and riddled with annoyance as he spoke again, "Whose the kid?"

Gohan gulped, yet Whis gave him a reassuring smile, "He is a strong candidate to become your successor my Lord."

The deity whirled around so quickly in his seat that Gohan thought that his head might spin off his shoulders. Lord Beerus stood, coming into the dim light so that he now revealed himself to the young saiyan. He blinked, he sort of looked like a hairless cat, with purple skin and large pointed ears and snout. His long tail whipped around curiously behind him as he stared at the boy. His attire was similar to Whis', with blue gi trousers, and black sashes adoring his waits and shoulders, orange and white diamonds decorated the fabric. His wrists were adored with golden bangles, which glinted in the blue hue of light from the large fish tank behind him. Lord Beerus raised a claw-like palm to rub his chin thoughtfully, a smirk playing on his lips. Gohan felt incredibly uncomfortable under his penetrative stare, his presence was utterly dominating. This was a _destroyer_ God after all, and the pre-teen thought that he was actually going to incinerate him right then and there, before a bark of laughter escaped his chest and it wasn't long before the deity was sent into full blown hysterics.

"My _successor_?!" Beerus howled, clutching his sides, "Are you serious Whis?! He's but a child! You boy, how old are you?"

"Um, eleven," Gohan replied nervously, causing the God to scoff.

" _Eleven_ Whis, come on!" Beerus snorted, "He's barely toilet trained!"

The young saiyan scowled.

"Now now my Lord, we mustn't judge," Whis said calmly, "This boy has just fought in an epic battle."

"Oh yes and it's obvious as to how _that_ went," said Beerus, giving his halo a pointed look.

"Here," Whis sighed, tapping his staff so that an image erupted from the gem.

Gohan gaped both out of shock and horror, as a projection of him fighting Cell illuminated the temple. He watched himself with a sickly feeling, as he transformed into the second level with blind fury, before taking down Cell with two might blows. The hologram of himself smirked sadistically, his golden aura crackling around him, lighting up the room in a electrifying glow.

Then, with another tap, it was gone.

"That evil being that Gohan here fought and destroyed was much stronger than Frieza," explained Whis.

"Stronger than Frieza you say?" Beerus hummed thoughtfully, before turning his sharp eyes towards him, "Tell me boy, what was that transformation? Your hair is black now is it not?"

"Um, yes sir," Gohan stuttered, even though he couldn't sense his power, that intense pressure he was getting from the deity told him that he was incredibly strong, "The first form was a super saiyan, and the one I transformed into there was an ascended level of super saiyan. So, I suppose, a super saiyan two?"

"A super saiyan two," Beerus repeated, before staring at him intently, "You're a saiyan? I thought that Frieza destroyed their planet years ago."

"Yes my Lord, before you went for your nap if you remember," Whis answered for him, "Gohan here is half-saiyan. His father, who was the one that took down Frieza, is a saiyan and his mother is a human from Planet Earth."

"A half-breed?" the deity said, wrinkling his nose in disgust, "How disturbing."

Gohan bit his tongue for want of not letting out an angered growl.

"Do calm down my Lord, you're upsetting him," said Whis, causing Gohan to look towards him in alarm.

"Oh I am, am I?" Beerus snorted, "It's too bad he didn't defend himself, and I thought saiyans were supposed to have guts."

He gaped, just what did he want from him?

"Still his power intrigues me, if that transformation is anything to go by," said the destroyer, thoughtfully, "Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan… now where have I heard that before? Oh who knows, I'm too hungry to think right now, just put him in the training camp with the rest, we will see if your little _project_ will live up to my standards."

"Oh but I do believe he will," smiled Whis, as Gohan gave him a confused look, "Would you like me to take him to the camp right away?"

Beerus waved them away with a flick of his wrist, signalling that they had been dismissed. The young saiyan hung his head dejectedly as the tantalising aroma of food became a distant memory. Finally thinking with his head and not with his stomach, he turned to Whis as they reached the outside of the temple.

"What does he mean by training camp?" he asked.

"You _will_ address my Lord by his proper title Gohan," said Whis firmly, "You don't want to get on his bad side already now do you?"

"Sorry," the boy winced, trying again, "What does _Lord Beerus_ mean by training camp?"

"Ah, forgive me Gohan for being so vague, but I had to get you to agree first," he replied with a wry smile, "You will have to earn your place as an apprentice, and go up against other hopefuls for the position of a junior destroyer."

"Wait, didn't you tell me that you couldn't find anyone for the job in five-hundred years?!" he retorted angrily, feeling tricked.

"That's true young one," he sighed, "Though Beerus won't except just anyone for the role I'm afraid, and no matter how good _I_ think you will be for the job, you still have to prove your worth. Both to Beerus and the other deities that watch over the universe."

Gohan groaned, this day was getting weirder and weirder.

"Don't worry, I'm certain you'll pass with flying colours," Whis smiled happily, giving him a reassuring wink, "Now, if you would like to place your hand on my shoulder, I'll teleport us to the training camp."

The young saiyan reluctantly did as he was told, but was indeed too short to reach the Angel's shoulder, so instead placed his hand on his back.

"Hold on tight now," he informed him, as a white light suddenly engulfed them, "And please keep your arms and legs inside The Warp at all times, wouldn't want you to loose a limb before you've started training after all."

"Wait, wha-?!" Gohan yelped, as suddenly the wind picked up around them and they shot into the air at break neck speed.

He couldn't help the high pitched shriek that escaped his lips as it felt as though he was being propelled forwards by a tornado. He clung onto Whis' garb with both hands as they suddenly changed direction, speeding down to the ground faster than the speed of light.

Then as soon as it had started, it stopped, and Gohan wasn't able to stop himself properly as he slammed unceremoniously into the ground.

"Oww," the young saiyan whined.

Whis turned around with mild surprise as his shoes tapped lightly on the grass in front of him, "Oh my, you are quite the clumsy one aren't you? We'll have to work on that if you want to become the next God of Destruction."

"W-what was _that_?!" Gohan coughed, clambering up and narrowing his eyes at the Angel, "And did you have to go that fast?!"

"To answer your first question, that is a transportation technique called warping or The Warp as I affectionally call it," Whis explained, "With it, I can travel quickly through space and dimensions. I am in fact I am the fasted being in this universe."

The pre-teen's eyes widened, as he continued.

"And to answer your second question, no, I did not have to go that fast," he chuckled, "We are still on Lord Beerus' planet after all, though quite far beneath the palace. I just wanted to get you here as quickly as possible so that we can begin your training with the other recruits."

"Wow thanks," the boy mustered dryly, dusting off the dirt from his battle worn gi.

"Oh I wouldn't bother with that," the Angel implored, observing him trying to salvage his outfit, "You will be wearing these training clothes from now on."

Gohan blinked, as Whis tapped his staff and he had to quickly catch the neatly folded pile of light blue garments that suddenly materialised out of the air.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Whis quipped, "Try them on, I trust I've gotten the right size. There will be more of them in your chambers should you get these ruined, which I have no doubt of."

The young boy knew better than to ask questions about his so called chambers, he would find out soon enough anyway. Instead, he stripped off his battle torn gi and pulled on the celestial blue jogging bottoms and white trainers, before zipping up the matching hoodie. It had an odd looking symbol over the heart etched in gold embroidery, much resembling a childlike swiggle.

"That's my symbol there," said Whis, smiling in satisfaction as the pre-teen admired his new outfit, "All the apprentices bare it. Once you master my training, you may choose your own."

"Thank you Whis," Gohan mustered politely, though he couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal towards his old master.

Honestly, he felt a little silly, it was only a gi after all. Though it signified so much, so many memories. He remembered the pride in Piccolo's eyes when he had asked him to materialise a gi like his for The Cell Games, rather than one resembling his father's.

Unsurprisingly, the Angel picked up on his sadness straight away, "As tattered as it may be, I think it is only proper for you to keep that old gi of yours, you seem to have the upmost respect for your first mentor."

"R-Really?" he choked, picking up the purple fabric from where it lay at his feet, "Wow, thank you!"

"I wouldn't want you getting homesick too quickly now," he replied pointedly, "We have a lot of work to do."

"Yes sir!"

"Now, how does that new suit feel, young one?" Whis asked.

Feeling a little more chipper, Gohan sprang into the air, throwing a few fast punches into the air along with a rapid spinning kick. His movements seemed light, fluid, and the tracksuit was incredibly cosy.

"It's brilliant," he said, landing with a grin and turning to his new mentor, "Master."

Whis chuckled, turning to the large oak doors in front of them, "Excellent, shall we?"

It was only then did the young saiyan really take notice as to where on Beerus' planet they were. It seemed that they were far below the palace that was embedded into the enormous tree, as Gohan immediately caught sight of the huge knotted roots that encircled the pristine wooden doors. They seemed to be in the middle of a courtyard, with marble stone benches and rose bushes adorning the dirt laden ground. It sort of reminded him of a secret garden from ancient mythology, what with various stone statues of what Gohan presumed were previous deities dotted around the yard.

It seemed like a rather dark and eerie place, though the ground was suddenly illuminated in a soft glow of light as Whis tapped his sceptre once more and the doors swung open to reveal a long tunnel bathed in light from the torches of fire bracketed onto the stone walls. He trotted behind the Angel obediently, casting shadows through the tunnel as they walked. Gohan was about to ask just how long the path went on for, when a high pitched scream reached his ears.

He jumped, still incredibly on edge since his fight with Cell and got into fighting stance immediately, his onyx eyes hardening and his senses on high alert, causing his mentor to chuckle.

"It seems as though the other apprentices have already started warming up," he surmised, as Gohan visibly relaxed, blushing slightly at his display, "Come Gohan, I'll introduce you. This way now."

**BOOM!**

No sooner had they taken another step, did a figure burst through the stone walls to their left, sending the large bricks flying as the silhouette of a young man hit the opposite wall with a loud crack.  
Gohan coughed through the pillar of dust that encompassed the tunnel, his eyes widening in shock.

Did _everything_ always explode in this place?!

"Ha! Nice shot Eris!" came an amused shout from inside the destroyed wall.

The dust subsided, and Gohan looked into the large gap in the wall curiously. Immediately he caught sight of five apprentices, all looked as though they were in their mid to late teens. He guessed that the figure that had been thrown out into the tunnel was the sixth, but one thing he did know for certain was that they were all dead, his eyes drawn to the golden halos hovering above their heads.

They were sat around what seemed to be some kind of common room, with plush blue and gold armchairs set around a roaring strange blue fire. The walls and ceiling were high, and seemed to stretch for miles above them. Enormous bookshelves were fixed onto the entirety of the back wall, housing thousands of ancient textbooks in various languages and symbols that the young saiyan didn't recognise. He caught sight of two winding staircases that veered off into opposite directions, though he couldn't see what lay beyond it, as it looked as though they rejoined the tunnel. There was a large oak door next to them, not far away from where the wall had been destroyed. Various magnificent tapestries hung over the surviving walls, that depicted Lord Beerus in all his destructive glory. A beautifully painted picture decorated the wall over the fire, that illustrated a vast green landscape with a violet sky. A spiralling cliff face sat in the centre of the painting, with what like a shining hilt of a sword sticking out of it.

No one seemed to have noticed his and Whis' presence yet, as the owner of the voice continued to roar with laughter. He was a boy in his mid-teens, with wavy ginger hair and pale skin. He would have looked human, were it not for the wide golden eyes and fangs protruding from his lips. His fingernails were long and claw-like, and like the other apprentices, wore the same light blue tracksuit as Gohan. His muscles were lean, so lean that he almost looked gangly, though the young saiyan could sense that he was incredibly strong.

"Oh do shut up Makhai," a girl with wild ash coloured hair growled at him, allowing her outstretched fist to come to rest by her side, "You're laughter is insufferable."

He immediately felt a dark presence from Eris, though he tried to curb his instincts quickly. She almost looked like a devil, with bright red skin and pointed ears. A black thorny crown balanced on her head, three pointed spikes saluting the skies, though Gohan wasn't sure if it was a crown or just part of her skull. She looked as though she was in her late teens, her stormy grey eyes sharp as she stared down at the boy named Makhai. Though her penetrative gaze didn't seem to faze him, as he continued to snort with laughter.

"Do you cretins mind?!" an older boy with sickly green skin and beetle black eyes snarled from where he was perched by the only window in the chamber, "I'm _trying_ to study!"

Gohan got an even darker feeling from this recruit, his eyes were as deep as black holes, his bald head failing to hide the vein that throbbed angrily in the side of his head. He gave off a domineering presence, even though he was very skinny, his tracksuit hanging off his bones and clashing horribly with his green skin. His pointed features were curled up into a sneer, as a loud booming voice cut across them.

"Give it up Deimos, you've been reading that book for weeks, if it's not getting through that thick skull of yours now then it never will."

The voice belonged to the figure that had been blasted out into the tunnel, as he effortlessly jumped over the fallen debris and landed gracefully in the centre of the room, his stance strong and a smirk playing on his lips.

The halfling's eyes widened, now _this_ is what he pictured a future God of Destruction to look like. The young man was in his late teens, his muscles bulging underneath the fabric of his tracksuit. Gohan could clearly see the outline of his pectorals and six-pack, his hench shoulders almost reaching his ears. The older teen was the sheer definition of a warrior, with dark tanned skin, brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His eyes were the brightest of blue, that glinted with the fire of the thousands of warriors that had come before him. He was incredibly tall, possibly even taller than Piccolo.

Deimos seethed in anger, before Makhai cut across him, "What's that Kratos? Just like you're never going to snog Bia? If you're not in there now mate then you'll never -"

"Will you shut that gaping _hole_ you call a mouth!" The warrior Kratos roared, as a sudden calmness engulfed the room.

The source it seemed, was that of the young woman who all but glided between them. Gohan felt tingly all of a sudden, but he wasn't sure whether it was because of some kind of power she had or due to the fact that she was incredibly beautiful. The older girl had skin the colour of snow, her white blonde hair fixed into two plats that almost reached the floor.

Her golden eyes surveyed the others curiously, "Come now, can't we all just get along?"

"Bia, just let the muscle heads fight it out," a much younger girl chimed from where she was lounging in one of the plush armchairs, polishing a wooden bow, "They'll get tired eventually."

She looked closest to Gohan's age, much to his relief. She was small and petite, humanoid with lilac skin and ebony hair and eyes.

"Aha!" Kratos laughed confidently, slipping into an unfamiliar fighting stance, "Yes you're quite right Alala, but which one of us shall tire first?"

"That was a rhetorical question right?" The devil-like Eris said in a bored manner, not even bothering to get into any sort of stance, "Because we all already know the answer to that."

"Will you all be _quiet_! I'm trying to-!"

"Oh dear, not this again," Whis muttered under his breath, before calling out in a sharp tone, "Alright! That's quite enough!"

The six recruits immediately jumped to attention, whirling around as the came face to face with the pair watching the scene unfold.

"Master Whis!" Kratos was the first to speak, bowing respectfully, as he and Whis stepped through the hole, "I apologise, we did not see you come in."

"Sorry about the wall, we got a little carried away," Makhai cringed, before inclining his thumb towards Eris, "Or more like princess overboard did over here."

The red skinned princess glared, "Why you insolent-!"

"No need to apologise, as always, it is easily fixed," Whis smiled, before tapping his sceptre with a chink.

Gohan watched with awe, as the bricks sprang back together, and the wall was repaired in an instant.

"Now I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your morning scuffle, but I wanted to draw your attention to our new recruit, this is Gohan," the Angel chimed pleasantly, inclining his head towards the half-saiyan.

The pre-teen suddenly felt incredibly nervous, as all eyes averted to him in a mixture of curiosity and shock.

Kratos was able to summon his voice first, "This is the new recruit? Forgive me Master, but isn't he a little young?"

"Yeah, how old are you kid? Like twelve?" The ginger haired Makhai observed, leaning over and poking him in the shoulder as if to see if he was real or not.

"I'm eleven actually," Gohan mustered meekly, as the group gave each other a bemused look.

"I assure you that age is simply but a number in relation to power," interrupted Whis much to the young saiyan's relief, at least he had faith in him. The others looked away guiltily, as the deity continued, "And I won't hear no more about it. Now, I'll give you all four takks to show Gohan to his bed and get him settled. After that I want you to meet me in the meadow for your training session."

They nodded obediently as Whis took his leave, but not before giving the halfling a reassuring wink. The young saiyan gulped, without the presence of his new master by his side he suddenly felt very alone, and exposed. The apprentices were staring at him, and seem to have been for quite some time. He gave them a nervous smile, though clutched onto the ragged purple gi in his palms for dear life.

"So, it's Gohan is it?" Makhai spoke, eyeing him up and down.

Gohan nodded, as the older boy grinned.

"Well, what's your story?"

"My story?" he asked, confused.

The younger girl with the crossbow, Alala, sighed behind him, "He's asking you how you died."

"Oh…" the halfling mustered, the groups eyes widening at the look on his face.

"Ah, so you're a fresh one," Makhai observed guilty, "Sorry, I didn't know. How long ago did it happen?"

"Today," he said glumly.

"Crikey!" the ginger boy gasped, showing off his fanged teeth, "Whis works fast! I've only been dead thirty years and I thought I was a youngling. The rest of us have been dead centuries and we only got recruited over the last few years!"

Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Some of them had been dead for _centuries_?!

"Yes, _thank you_ Makhai," Kratos drawled in annoyance, hard eyes not leaving the pre-teen, "Will you hurry up and show the rookie to his bed so that we can get a move on?"

"Righto!" he saluted cheekily, before grabbing Gohan by the arm and dragging him up one of the spiralling staircases.

The young saiyan didn't have time to protest, as Makhai was extremely fast, whizzing them up the staircase so quickly that Gohan didn't think that his feet had touched the ground even once. When they reached the top, the halfling was finally able to take in his surroundings, albeit a little windswept. He was a little surprised to find that they were shared sleeping quarters, with four double beds lined up neatly in a row, two either side, making a pathway to an enormous window that looked over a beautiful glistening lake. The vast amber sky cast a light orange hue over the room, illuminating the oak furniture that sat at the back wall. Each bed came with its own night stand to the side of it, and three out of the four beds already had clothes and blankets strung over it, along with textbooks piled high on one of the stands. Gohan could make out a cold stone room off to the left, which he guessed were the showering quarters and bathroom. He reasoned that the other staircase must lead to the girls chamber.

"And this is you," Makhai smiled, tapping the mattress closest to the window.

The young saiyan followed him, sitting on the bed and staring out at the amber sky in awe. The chamber was certainly grand, the whole planet in fact, much grander than his humble little cottage in the mountains back on Earth. He pre-teen wasn't entirely certain he could get used to it.

Curiously, he opened one of the draws on his new nightstand, and was surprised to find that there were more clean tracksuits and underwear, along with a toothbrush and some soap.

"Yeah," Makhai sighed, watching him, "We don't take much with us when we die, except the clothes on our back if you're lucky enough, so Whis takes care of the rest. One of life's lessons I suppose. What's that you got there?"

Gohan looked up, as the older boy gestured to the purple fabric he was still clutching onto tightly.

"Ahh," Makhai winced, closing his eyes, "Sorry about that, kid. Must be a sore subject for Whis to let you keep it though, he practically blasted my clothes off me when I got here. They _were_ pretty riffy mind you."

"Yeah," the pre-teen sighed, before tucking his old gi into the bottom of his draw. Closing it with a snap, he looked towards his peer, "So, why is everyone dead? Do you have to be dead to become a God of Destruction or something? But Beerus didn't have a halo so-"

"Blimey, you don't know much do you?" he replied with a laugh, "Then again you are just a little tike."

Gohan frowned, he was starting to get annoyed with people commenting on his young age.

"You are right in a way though," Makhai continued, "The recruits are all dead because only the dead can become Gods of Destruction. It's to do with some law that says that we have had to go through the trials of mortals, to have lived through death itself and have burst out the other side in a tornado of fire and glory! Blah blah blah…"

The young saiyan chuckled, as the boy's voice grew more and more dramatic.

"Anyway," he stated, "Once the recruit is chosen, they are trained for a period of time directly under the old God of Destruction and their Angel, until they achieve a divine power and become a God. If they do this then they will be given their life back, but it's not the same as a mortal life. Only The King of Everthing, Grand Zeno, can grant you a deity's life span. Something like that anyway, I'm not that great at studying."

"Studying?" Gohan blinked, his brain trying to process all the information he had just been given.

"Oh yeah," said Makhai, "as well as training, we have to study the laws of the universe, numerous languages, the history of the universe as well as various worlds etc etc. Though it's going to be tougher on you kiddo, we've been here for ages now so we've all had a head start."

His heart sank, if his mother was here she would no doubt be going on a complete rampage in light of the fact that he was already behind.

"Here, you can borrow mine," Makhai smiled kindly, bearing his fangs as he walked over to the bed next to Gohan's and grabbed an enormous pile of thick textbooks and dumped them onto his.

"Uh, thanks?" he blinked, his fingers brushing the ageing spine of an ancient looking volume entitled, _The Hero, Perses._

"Oh I haven't got round to reading that one yet," the older boy informed him with a shrug, "It's none essential reading but Alala found it tucked right at the top of the bookshelf in the common room. She said it was interesting, but I've got better things to do with my time than read about stuffy old war heroes. Read it if you want, or you can give it back to her, as long as you lie and tell her that I've actually read it."

"I'll probably hold onto it for now," said Gohan, the leather bound casing was old and worn, but the halfling had always liked reading about great heroes. It might make him feel less homesick.

"Ugh, don't tell me I'm stuck with another bookworm," Makhai pined with a roll of his eyes, before gesturing to the bed opposite his, "It's bad enough with Deimos, you can't even get up for a piss in the night without him screeching at you to shut up."

"He always reads late at night," the teenager informed him, "He can see in the dark you know, and I mean pitch blackness. It's only right to give you fair warning."

The young saiyan chuckled as Makhai's eyes widened in realisation.

"Oh bugger, it's nearly been four takks!"

"What _are_ takks anyway?" Gohan asked.

"It's like the universal measurement of time," he replied, before frowning, "Wait, where are you from again?"

"Planet Earth."

"Earth?!" he gasped, "In the North Galaxy? Bloody hell you really are out in the sticks!"

Gohan pouted, as Makhai said thoughtfully, "Well I suppose about two takks is equivalent to about five minutes in your lingo."

"Which means?" he asked rather haughtily, this was whole business what going to take a lot of getting used to.

"Which means that we're already late my pint-sized compadre," Makhai smirked, as Gohan's eyes widened in horror, "Lets go!"

* * *

 _  
__Originally_ _posted on 24th April, 2018._


	3. Kratos The Great

The rest of the recruits were already waiting for them in the meadow when they arrived, Gohan puffing and panting behind Makhai as he had used his quick speed to race them both out of the sleeping quarters and rush to the other side of the planet. Whis stood in front of the teenagers, who were lined up in a neat row obediently. He surveyed them in amusement as they approached them, the young saiyan's clothes were rather crumpled and his hair dishevelled, though Makhai looked as though he had only taken a leisurely stroll.

"And then there were seven, my what a powerful number," observed Whis as they got into line with the others, who did not look impressed by their tardiness, "Late again Makhai? A God of Destruction must never be late you know. It's a mystery as to how you're not always the first one here with that speed of yours."

"Sorry Master Whis," Makhai said with a charming fanged smile, "Gohan needed to relieve himself and we had to stop on the way, I _told_ him to go before we left, but you know how kids are."

"That's not true!" The halfling yelled hotly, as their peers snorted with laughter.

"Settle down everyone," Whis called firmly, as Gohan silently fumed, "Let's get on with our first lesson of the day."

Everyone stood to complete attention, determination in their eyes.

"The first step to understanding one's power is learning the extent of it," The deity informed them, "Only then will you be able to harness it, control it and use it to carry out your duty to the Gods and to the universe."

The recruits were listening intently, Gohan too, but he was confused when Whis stopped short and focussed his gaze upon him, giving him a knowing smile. "As you are our newest recruit Gohan, I think it's best for you to sit out for a moment and observe."

The pre-teen frowned, as he caught sight of Eris and Deimos smirking at him, whilst Kratos gave him a triumphant look.

"A wise choice Master," said Kratos the warrior, "Our training sessions can get quite brutal, it would be dishonourable of me to allow a child to get hurt unnecessarily."

Whis' smile seemed to get even wider as he signalled for Gohan to make himself comfortable on a nearby boulder. The young saiyan stomped away haughtily, before doing as he was told and plonking himself down on the smooth rock and folding his arms across his chest in a huff. His onyx eyes remained focussed on his new master, aiming to learn something from the lesson at hand, even if he wasn't allowed to join in. It wasn't as though he wasn't used to this treatment. He had experienced villains and fighters alike making fun of his age all his life, and often he was sat on the sidelines because he was deemed too young or weak to join in. Still, he wasn't about to let those gits get to him. A sudden fierceness ignited within him, making him determined to prove them all wrong and show them that he wasn't some kind of joke that Whis had plucked out of the space sticks just for the recruits amusement.

"Now, I want you all to power up to your maximum, if you please," The deity ordered, and it seemed as though the deceased teens didn't need to be told twice.

Immediately, Gohan's senses were assaulted with mind boggling energy. He had to hold onto the boulder to stop himself from toppling over, as at once did the apprentices aura spring to life, blowing the air away from them with a sonic boom and lighting up the meadow in an array of multicolour. Kratos, he was unsurprised to find, was far higher than the rest of the group. His white aura grew around his muscular frame rapidly, licking at his body like flames. Alala, though the youngest save for Gohan, was the second strongest much to his awe. Violet crackles of light exploded around her, the wind grabbing at her long ebony hair in waves. He could sense a crippling dark presence emitting from both Eris and Deimos, which was a stark contrast to Makhai and Bia's bright energy that seemed to level out the darkness.

They were all incredibly powerful, that was a given. It was truly a sight to behold.

"Like what you see?" Kratos jested, and it was only then did Gohan realise that his mouth was hanging open.

"Aw look at his face," Bia cooed sweetly, a silver glow encompassing her slender body, "Maybe he has not seen power like this before."

"Gohan, you may join the others now," Whis chimed, his eyes glinting in the vast array of light that illuminated the planes, "and the rest of you can power down."

They seemed confused by this, though obliged, their auras dissipating in an instant as soon as Gohan approached. The young saiyan was rather sceptical also, was Whis going to make him fight them all at once as some kind of initiation? Even so, why did he make them power up and back down again? Did he want to show him just what he was up against?

"I want you to power up to your first transformation please," instructed the deity, as all eyes turned towards him.

The halfling frowned at first, but thought it best to just do as he was told. With an abrupt shout, he unleashed his Ki, the energy spreading like wildfire through his veins. His ebony hair turned golden in an instant, wavering in the breeze suddenly created by his shining golden aura. His onyx orbs swirled with colour, before they settled on a vibrant emerald green. Gohan exhaled deeply, before turning towards his mentor with curious eyes.

"W-What is that?!" Eris gaped, as the power washed over her, the others too were similarly dazzled.

"It's a super saiyan," Whis explained, causing Deimos to splutter.

"A _saiyan_ you say?! I thought they were extinct! The text of modern history states - "

"There were a few survivors to their planets destruction, including Gohan's father," the Angel informed them, "Gohan is half-saiyan."

Though Whis didn't give the apprentices any more time to ask questions, as he turned to Gohan and stated, "Your maximum power, if you please."

"Um alright," he replied, before he stance stood wider and a loud guttural roar escaped his chest.

Makhai squeaked, as an enormous wind picked up around them, blowing the group back from the force. Only Whis remained firmly in place, seemingly unaffected by the gail force that suddenly struck the meadow. The ground beneath Gohan's feet began to pick up, and pebbles, dirt and bits of grass swirled around his rapidly growing aura. Storm clouds began to form overhead, emitting a bellowing thunder that intermingled with the young saiyans screams. Lightening bolts struck the ground, seemingly merging with the swell of energy surrounding him, snapping at the air like a cobra. His lean muscles bulged, his golden hair spiking further atop of his head, leaving a stubborn bang wavering over his now hardened emerald eyes. Slowly, the screams stopped and the rocks and debris fell to rest at his feet. The only sound his pulsating aura, that jolted and crackled with electricity as he cast his gaze back over the meadow. He couldn't help but allow a triumphant grin to play on his lips, the enormous gain in power going to his head slightly. The other recruits were staring at him with a mixture of shock and awe, every single one on their backsides, their jaws practically on the floor.

"T-that's _insane_!" Makhai gaped, his golden eyes blinking rapidly at the eleven year old, "How the bloody hell did he manage to obtain all that power at his age?!"

"It's impossible!" Eris spat.

"Ah Makhai, Eris, I told you that age is just a number in terms of power," said Whis, giggling slightly at the look on their faces, "Now which one of you wants to fight him?"

Gohan looked towards his mentor in surprise, "What, really? You want me to fight?"

"What's the matter kid? Don't want to get your hands dirty so soon?" Kratos spoke suddenly, clambering to his feet and smirking at the young saiyan, "I'll fight him first Master, I want to see just what _all that power_ can do against me."

The blonde haired Bia turned her head in alarm, "Kratos, are you sure that is wise? He is but a boy. Not to mention it's his first day here!"

"Then it will be a perfect test of his strength," The large warrior retorted, standing across the meadow from him, "Unless he's too scared."

"I'm not scared of you," Gohan retorted boldly, even though he could sense a well of energy deep within Kratos' power, which made him realise that the teenager had been holding back when Whis had told them to power up to maximum. But why? Maybe Kratos' power was too great to unleash fully, and he didn't want to destroy the planet in the process of him increasing his energy.

The pre-teen gulped, oh how he wished his brain hadn't had thought that.

"I believe there's your answer Kratos," Whis smiled pleasantly, "We'd better give them some room. Have fun boys."

Gohan caught Makhai give him a sympathetic look before he took off with Whis and the others so that they could watch the fight from a distance. But no sooner had they created some distance, was Kratos upon him.

The young saiyan reacted quickly, his senses heightened from his ascended transformation. Faster than lightening, Gohan caught his opponents deadly fist in his palm creating a sonic boom that echoed over the vast landscape. The blades of grass dispersed around them, forming a small crater around their feet. He saw a glimmer of surprise within Kratos' eyes, before it was replaced with a fierce determination and his shining white aura exploded around him, pushing the youngster back a few feet. Kratos growled, his fists positively glowing with white hot energy as he unleashed rapid fire upon the halfling.

Gohan dodged and ducked out of the way, before parrying his attackers fist and delivering a spinning kick straight to his gut. Kratos coughed up a wad of blood and saliva, and the pre-teen thought he heard Makhai cheer for him when the deceased warrior quickly recovered and sped towards him in a flurry of limbs that the young saiyan narrowly avoided.

He was quick, and his energy seemed to be increasing with every passing moment. Kratos snarled, launching himself at the boy and prompting Gohan to phase out. Though this time, the older recruit was ready for him to reappear, and clocked him straight in the jaw. The sound of knuckles on jaw ricocheted over the meadow, the force of impact causing Gohan's head to spin. But the halfling wasn't going to let the warrior get away with landing a hit so easily, and instead followed up in his own attack, flipping himself over the older boy and delivering a powerful uppercut to his chin. Kratos stumbled, catching himself quickly before kicking off from the ground and careening towards Gohan, who was already waiting for him. The young saiyan unleashed rapid fire, sizzling yellow Ki balls erupting from his palms in a unrelenting barrage. But to his annoyance, his attack all but left smoking craters in the once beautiful meadow below, as Kratos phased in and out, dodging the blasts effortlessly.

"All that power is nothing without experience!" came a sudden shout from behind him.

Gohan whirled around quickly, catching Kratos' outstretched palm as it made to strike his neck. "I've got plenty, thanks," he spat back, causing the older recruit to scoff.

"Been fighting for longer than three-hundred years like me have you, child?" Kratos replied, clearly amused as he easily broke free of the young saiyan's hold, twisting in mid-air.

"No, but that doesn't mean that I can't win!" he growled, blasting his golden aura further around him.

In a flash, the young saiyan was upon him, though their fists collided in mid-air, their knees connected, each blow met with an oncoming blow. They danced around each other, drawn like moths to a flame, before clashing and sending tremors rippling across the entire planet. Boulders crumpled to the ground and the dirt shook apart beneath them as the fight continued, the entire world was trembling. Finally, they sprang apart, panting, bloodied and exhausted. Though Kratos was still smirking.

"You've got spirit little one, but it's not enough to defeat me!"

And then it was as though a volcano had erupted. The young man's aura grew steadily, doubling, no _tripling_ in size. The wind howled as Kratos let out an earth quaking roar, his power increasing to nigh impossible heights. Gohan gasped, as his senses were assaulted by the teenager's power, his white aura suddenly changing colour and glowing an alarming red.

The halfling grit his teeth, steadying himself through the roaring winds when suddenly, the ground burst open below them and sharp jagged rocks erupted from the planet's surface. Jumping high into the air, Gohan avoided the deadly spikes as they careened towards him. But Kratos wasn't finished, as bigger, longer, sharper pieces of rock shot towards him. He couldn't even contemplate just how Kratos was manipulating the world like that, though he guessed it was through some kind of training with Whis. Flipping himself over, the young super saiyan narrowly dodged a spike that whizzed between his legs.

That was _way_ too close for comfort.

A surge of anger swelled within him, he was already at his limit, yet Kratos was somehow getting _stronger_. He could feel Whis and the other's eyes burning into him, but Gohan was not going to give into their expectations and allow himself to fail. He had already failed enough today.

Another spike hurtled towards him, but this time, the young boy was ready - and charged. With a battle cry, Gohan leapt onto the offending rock and ran along it, using it as momentum to kick off from and launch himself towards oncoming fist barely brushed the older boy's cheek when he was flung backwards by an explosive wave created by his crimson aura. Gohan cried out in both frustration and in pain, as Kratos cracked his knee into his sternum, before following up with a hammer fist to the skull. The halfling's entire body jolted as he crashed to the ground with an enormous shockwave, creating a smouldering crater in the soil. He was seeing stars, as what felt like a hundred tons of solid steel collided with his stomach, and it took him a moment to realise that Kratos had landed upon him, his bulging legs either side of his torso.

"Come on young warrior!" he laughed almost jubilantly, "I thought you were trying to prove your worth!"

Gohan grit his teeth, as Kratos' fists met his face. His knuckles collided relentlessly with his cheekbones, again, again and again. He was pretty certain that his nose was broken.

"Kratos! Stop this!" he heard Bia cry from above, "Stop this at once!"

He clamped his jaw tightly shut to avoid biting his tongue off, as Kratos continued his beating. The sheer weight of the large young man almost too much to pair itself. His red aura was so hot that it was almost burning him, beats of sweat trickled down his face and intermingled with the blood that poured from the gashes in his face. Gohan was angry, frustrated, and if his heart were still beating then he was certain that it would be pounding against his ribcage. His head was spinning, how was he losing so badly? He couldn't help but think what Mister Piccolo would think of him now. It was supposed to be a friendly spar, but there was nothing friendly about it. Not the way Kratos was goading him, taunting him, like he had to prove a point that _he_ was the strongest and Gohan was nothing more than a weakling. What had he ever done to him? It reminded him of -

_Gohan, why don't we give your engine a jump start?_

Cell.

The pre-teen's eyes snapped open, as if something clicked within his mind and a loathing so intense flooded his veins, along with a blind fury so intense that it ignited his golden aura back around him. Yet this time, it exploded outwards, rising high into the sky like a beacon of brilliant light. Kratos was immediately fired into the air by the sheer force as Gohan screamed with overwhelming power that echoed over the meadow. Bolts of sizzling electricity rippled over his muscles, but they were denser, blue rather than silver and crackled around his aura in bigger waves. The light began to settle, the golden hue of energy returning to his normal pulsating volume, yet Gohan's entire body was engulfed in a blue glow that emitted small particles into the air. His pupils were invisible, his spikey gold hair even wilder, as he cast his gaze over to a rather flabbergasted Kratos.

"How's this for proof?" The halfling snarled through gritted teeth, his emerald green pupils slowly coming back into focus.

Though he did not give Kratos change to answer, as before the older teen knew it, Gohan had kicked off from the ground and fired himself into the air, slamming his almighty fist into his jaw. Kratos was forcibly propelled backwards through the skies, his eyes wide as he crashed through a row of mountains, leaving a destructive path in his wake. Not letting up, the young saiyan sped after him, catching up to him before he reached the dark forest. Gohan's foot embedded itself into his gut with a loud boom, causing his crimson aura to disperse completely.

Kratos roared in anger, as the young super saiyan batted him away with another powerful strike to the chest, flinging him high above him before cupping his hands by his side in a familiar stance.

"Ka…Meh…!"

"No! Not yet!" Kratos bellowed, screeching to a halt and gathering a scarlet blast above his head.

"Ha…Meh…-!"

The bright blue swirl of energy grew in his palms, his hardened gaze set on the figure above him. Yet, just when he was about to unleash the super wave, did a gentle hand touch him on the shoulder.

"I think that's a time out," came Whis' light tone.

Gohan snapped to his senses immediately, his golden and blue aura dispersing in a flash of light as he whirled around to face the deity whose eyes were positively twinkling in delight. Kratos too, had powered down at the appearance of their master. He floated opposite the pre-teen, panting heavily as his arms came to rest by his sides. The young saiyan gulped, his anger dissipating as he looked at the destruction surrounding him. The once magnificent meadow now resembled a battle zone, with several craters embedded into the dirt, the grass and flowers completely burned away by the sheer heat of the fighter's energies. The mountain range in the distance was smoking and pretty much reduced to rubble, and Gohan and Kratos were in no better shape. Their once pristine tracksuits were torn and bloodied, with several scorch marks having ruined the fabric.

The older boy glared at him across the half destroyed meadow, before he promptly spat on the ground and flew back to camp. He winced as he watched him go. Gohan wasn't certain just what had came over him, but a guilty feeling crept it's way into the pit of his stomach as he looked at the mess he had made. He dropped out of his transformation, his hair returning to it's usual ebony and his green eyes back to onyx as Whis spoke.

"It's just as I thought," he said knowingly, "There is still much depth to your power left unexplored."

The halfling blinked, tearing his gaze away from Kratos' retreating form, "R-really?"

"Oh yes," Whis smiled, "At that last moment you ascended past your previous limits. I'm sorry that I had to stop your fight, but I didn't want you to burn yourself out so quickly. It would be best to master your super saiyan two transformation before you try to reach the third."

"You're saying that there's _another_ level?" Gohan gaped.

"Well I wasn't quite sure at first," said Whis, "But your fight with Kratos just now only assured me that you can go much further beyond, there are greater strengths hidden within yet to be untapped young one. Believe me when I say that your little power up was nowhere near the next level of super saiyan strength, but you were certainly more powerful than a super saiyan two as you rightly call it. I doubt that is a saiyan's final form."

"W-wow," the pre-teen mustered. He knew he had hidden strengths, his father and Piccolo had always harped on about it, but he had thought that he had unleashed everything against Cell. He never would have thought that there could be _more_. Vegeta would have a heart attack if he knew that there was yet another level to the super saiyan transformation as Whis at surmised.

"I'll try my best Master Whis, I want to get stronger," Gohan said determinately, causing the Angel to beam.

"That I have no doubt of," he grinned, before waving his staff over the patches of craters below him. To his delight and relief, the meadow and the surrounding forest and mountains returned to normal, fully repaired as if no battle had taken place.

"Now, how's about that food I promised you?" asked Whis pleasantly, glancing over his shoulder, "Though I can't guarantee a peaceful meal, you've caused quite the stir amongst the other recruits."

Slowly, the young saiyan turned, catching sight of the flabbergasted young warriors on the ground, each of them a little singed.

* * *

"GREAT GALAXIES HOW MUCH DO YOU EAT?!"

If he wasn't already dead, Gohan felt as though he had died and gone to heaven. A vast array of glorious smelling foods had awaited him when Whis had dropped him off at the camp, now fully healed thanks to a quick wave of his staff. He silently wondered if there was anything that Whis _couldn't_ do.

The banquet room resembled some kind of mess hall, situated a little further down the tunnel from the common room. The young saiyan practically drooled at the sight of plates and platters of delicacies that were laid out on a long wooden table in the centre of the hall. He didn't even give the others chance to sit when he had raced forwards and pulled up a chair, devouring everything within reach. Gohan was so hungry that all of his manners went completely out of the window, his mother would surely scold him if she saw him, as the halfling hadn't even bothered to pick up a knife and fork.

Still, he hadn't eaten since breakfast before The Cell Games, and even then he had barely eaten a thing, he felt far too sick and nervous. His father on the other hand had eaten his body weight in breakfast items, as not even the fate of the world could stop that man from eating.

Given the desperate circumstances, the halfling allowed himself to go to town on the feast in front of him. He didn't even recognise what he was eating, none of the items were of Earth that was for certain. But he quickly found that he didn't care, as he pulled another alien looking pig towards him and tore one of it's legs off the carcass. He only looked up from his meal when he heard Makhai shriek in horror.

He smiled sheepishly through his mouthful, as he realised the rest of the recruits were staring at him in disbelief. Kratos had not joined them, which had troubled Gohan up until all his brain could think about was food.

He swallowed heavily, before taking a breath, "Sorry, I'm just really _really_ hungry. I haven't eaten since I died."

"I gathered," Eris growled, before sitting furthest away from him with a disgusted look upon her face, "You _do_ realise that snout-beast is for all of us right?"

"Oops," Gohan cringed, looking down at the half eaten pig, or snout-beast as it was called, but his apology was shortly cut off by an enormous belch that escaped his chest, "Hehe, excuse me."

"Revolting," the green-skinned Deimos scoffed, picking up his own plate and distancing himself from the boy's carnage.

"I think Whis underestimated just how much you saiyans can eat!" Makhai laughed, plonking himself next to Gohan and helping himself to the feast, "He certainly didn't underestimate your power though that's for certain."

The pre-teen blushed slightly, as Bia and Alala took a place opposite him.

"Quite right," the glowing blonde smiled warmly, "I must say that I didn't think you would be able to stand up to Kratos, he is an exceptional warrior."

"I gathered," said Gohan honestly, "He's even stronger than Cell. And I could still sense that he was holding back."

"Cell?" Alala quirked, "Was that the warrior who killed you?"

He nodded, his hands balling up into fists, "Except that Cell was no warrior, he was a monster."

Makhai whistled through the tension that had suddenly engulfed the room, "Sounds intense, he must have been powerful to have sent you packing off to Otherworld."

"Yeah," he mustered meekly, the feeling of death was still far too raw. He didn't want to remember the distraught look in Piccolo's eyes as he faded from the Earth forever, so he briskly changed the subject. "Does Kratos hate me or something?"

Bia and Alala chuckled, as Makhai shot him a wicked grin, "Nah, just ignore that big brute. He might be the strongest of us at the moment, but if you want my opinion it was starting to go to his head. You just damaged his pride is all."

"Hate is a strong word," said Alala, "I think a strong dislike is more appropriate. Kratos doesn't trust people easily."

"Why not?" asked Gohan, his food now abandoned on his plate.

Bia sighed, "Kratos was not always the hardened warrior you see before you once upon a time."

"Yeah, legend has it that he once used to smile," Makhai jested, though he was silenced by the young woman's penetrative yellow eyes.

"Many centuries ago," Bia continued, "Long before you were born young one, Kratos was a valiant warrior, a hero. Born on the planet Styx in the Western province of our universe, he rose quickly through the ranks of his people's most elite army. At just eighteen, he commanded an entire fleet of ten thousand soldiers, and led them to victory against man foes. He became known as Kratos The Great throughout the galaxy. He was the strongest of his people, but his second in command, Zelus, grew jealous of his power and glory and betrayed him."

Gohan's eyes widened, as she took a deep breath, a sadness about her.

"He unleashed a great evil upon Styx, an ancient beast that Kratos had defeated and imprisoned some years prior. It slaughtered the entire army, his friends, his family. When Kratos found out who was responsible for such destruction, it nearly broke him. He no choice but to take out his comrade, his best friend, his brother in arms - but it was still too late. The monster was too powerful, and destroyed the planet, taking Kratos with it. Because of his acts of heroism, Kratos was granted his body and an afterlife of training on the Grand Kai's planet. But that betrayal lay heavy on his heart, and it changed him. Kratos channelled his anger into getting stronger, reaching heights that his race had only ever dreamed of, all because he couldn't save them. He had trusted Zelus like he had never trusted anyone before, or since."

"It took him a long time to warm up to us," said Makhai, "Especially Eris, and I still believe he doesn't trust Deimos."

Deimos snorted, "Like I care."

"That's awful," said Gohan, feeling a little bad for taking out so much anger on the young man, "But why did he want to fight me so badly?"

"He could see a power in you to rival his," Bia replied with a small smile, "He is gifted like that, just like how I am with reading a persons innermost feelings. He wanted to test you, to see how much more powerful he would have to get to widen the gap."

"He just didn't bet on the gap being so small," Alala winked, "Let alone you able to match him."

"Yeah you've got a right temper on you haven't you?" Makhai started, nudging him in the ribs, "Especially for someone so short."

"Careful what you say Makhai," Eris spouted darkly across the table, "He might go super on you if you upset him, and I doubt you will come out of it unscathed, as weak as you are."

"Weak am I?" the ginger haired boy guffawed, "I think that knock to the head you suffered in our spar last week damaged your brain oh mighty princess."

Eris snarled, her dark eyes flashing menacingly as Makhai gave the young saiyan a wink, "I do have to agree though, better not tickle the sleeping beast within, eh sparky?"

Gohan pouted at the nickname he had been given, as Alala giggled.

"I mean it though," he continued, "For someone who looked so meek an innocent when he first arrived, you are one pretty tough kid."

"Save your complements for another time," Eris scoffed, "He has yet to embark on any real training."

"Real training?" the young saiyan blinked, wondering what she meant by that. It had certainly felt real enough when Kratos was pounding his face into the dirt.

"Oh yeah," said Makhai with a small burst of laughter, "Just you wait little man, if you think that was tough, you ain't seen nothing yet."

The rest of dinner went by without much more fuss, though Gohan decided to keep his manners more in check for the sake of the other recruits. He actually enjoyed just sitting and listening to their banter, and tell stories of the epic battles from centuries ago. He was grateful for Bia, who diverged the conversation away from him, whether it was due to her strange powers or not, she sensed that he wasn't quite ready to talk about how he came to meet his end just yet.

He had learned that she was the oldest in terms of actual living age, being nineteen years old when she had died. She was certainly the motherly figure of the group, and was well accomplished in telekinesis, enabling her to envelope calmness when there conflict, and empathise with others thoughts and feelings.

Deimos hadn't stayed long, the despondent teen had retreated back to the boys sleeping quarters as soon as he had cleared his plate. Eris had stopped furiously away to her chambers after Makhai had started teasing her about their last sparring match again, but not before calling him an arrogant peasant. One by one they left, until it was just Gohan and Makhai, the latter ushering him up to bed so they could get some much needed rest. Of course, the older boy had offered to tuck him in and read him a bedtime story, in which the young saiyan had promptly told him to stick said story up his backside.

Kratos was already asleep when they had crept into the shared bedroom, and Gohan could make out the silhouette of his hulking stature rising up and down in a gentle motion in the bed across from his. Deimos was still awake just as Makhai had said, if the sound of turning pages was anything to go by.

The halfling quickly stripped himself of his tracksuit, and slipped on the silky gold pyjamas that had been neatly folded on his bed. Slipping in between the sheets, he realised that it was possibly the most comfiest bed he had ever been in. It felt as though he was lying on a fluffy cloud, his whole body sinking into the soft mattress and feather filled pillows, it was as though he was floating on air.

What a weird day.

He let out a contended sigh, his belly now full and his hunger satisfied. Finally, he closed his eyes, willing himself into his dreams. But as much as he tried, as tired and achy as he was, he just couldn't seem to switch his brain off.

It had been a day of firsts after all. The first time he had been away from home, his family, in a very long time. It was the first time he had saved the Earth singlehandedly. It was the first time he hadn't celebrated with the Z-Fighters after the battle dust had settled. It was the first time he had truly let his fury take hold. It was the first time he had completely lost control…

It was first time he had died.

"Will you _stop_ fidgeting!" Deimos hissed angrily from across the room as Gohan rolled over for what felt like the tenth time in an attempt to get to sleep, "I can't hear myself think!"

"S-sorry," the pre-teen mustered meekly, squinting in the darkness, "I can't sleep."

"Well either sleep or get out," the green-skinned recruit spat snidely over his textbook, the other two boys fast asleep, "It's bad enough that we have to put up with Makhai's snoring without your insufferable twitching as well."

Gohan sighed heavily, before clambering out of bed and taking his leave, his bare feet padding on the cold stone steps as he made his way back into the common room, ignoring Deimos' irritated muttering. It looked almost eerie at night, the plush armchairs casting shadows over the hard stone floor. Slowly, he made his way over to the enormous window that stretched from floor to ceiling, and perched himself on the windowsill. Lord Beerus' world looked even more spectacular in the dead of night, and he could see the stars and galaxies that surrounded it, hanging brightly in a deep purple sky.

Had they tried to wish him back by now?

If he knew is family and friends, they would be desperate to wish both him and his father back to life. He closed his eyes, feeling hot tears building suddenly, but he did not allow them to fall. He didn't want to imagine their faces when they had summoned the Eternal Dragon, and his father had appeared but he was nowhere to be found. He doubted Shenron could even reach him here anyway, it was a realm of Gods after all, most likely far beyond the dragon's control.

Goodness, what would his mother say? He hoped she wasn't angry, but he would bet his life that she was distraught - if he wasn't already dead that is. Chi-Chi had ever wanted him to fight in the first place, but even the ever stubborn woman had come to realise that his power was needed to help save the world, else she wouldn't have let him train to fight the androids in the first place, much less The Cell Games.

Goku was resilient of course, he had every faith that his son would win. Just like Whis was so certain that he could get stronger, and become a God.

_What do you say you win this one for us son? Then we can all go home._

The young saiyan swallowed thickly, he was far too old to be getting upset. Yet in reality he was incredibly homesick. Gohan drew up his knees, resting his arms and head on top of them and staring out into the stars. Would he be allowed home if he failed? Or did the Gods have other plans for him? Kratos would be an excellent candidate to become the next God of Destruction, any of the others even.

Still, failure was not an option. He had too much to prove, both to himself and his father. Piccolo, and even the prince of pride himself would certainly be slapping some sense into him if they heard his thoughts of self doubt. After all, what good was all the power and potential he had inside if he couldn't prevent the universe from collapsing in on itself?

He felt a pang in his heart as a shooting star sped overhead, lighting up the night sky before falling away.

But had he made the right choice?

"It's crazy how common insomnia is on the first night."

Gohan jumped at the sudden girlish voice, whirling around only to come face to face with Alana. She smiled at him gently, placing down the crossbow she had been polishing on the coffee table and getting up from the sofa. She was wearing the same silk pyjamas as he, her long hair tied into a messy bun atop her head. He cringed, he hadn't even noticed her sitting there when he had walked in, he had been too busy wrapped in his own thoughts.

"The first night of what?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't pry, "Being here?"

"No, the first night of being dead silly," she giggled, sitting beside him, "I distinctly remember not sleeping a wink. Granted, my species don't need much sleep anyway."

"Oh," the halfling mustered, "Yeah I suppose it does feel pretty weird. I just feel so…"

"Restless?" she observed wisely, "Don't worry, it'll pass. It's a normal reaction. Your soul should settle soon."

"I hope so," he sighed, looking out into the night once more.

"So, what's eating you?" Alala mustered after a while, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back on the wall behind her.

"I don't want to talk about it."

The girl gave him a pointed look, "You miss your family huh?"

Gohan nodded glumly, "I just wish I could have told them that I was sorry, to explain somehow."

"We've all made mistakes," she informed him, her dark eyes hardening slightly, "Some a lot more than others."

"What do you mean?" he quirked, as the girl's lips held a playful smirk.

"You seem like an intelligent boy," said Alala, "I'm sure you've realised that we didn't all come from the good side. We may all hail from all across the universe but we come from different parts of Otherworld as well."

"Are you saying that some of you went to hell after you died?!" Gohan gasped in shock.

"Oh yeah," she replied, "But you have to remember that for the majority of us that it was many centuries ago, and we repented. People can change, stranger things have happened."

"Where did you go?" he asked suddenly, "You know, after you…"

"Don't look so worried," the girl laughed, "I went to train on the Grand Kai's planet. Although it was close. King Yemma found it hard to judge me. I was an assassin, trained by the mightiest warriors who shaped me into my planets deadliest weapon."

Gohan's eyes widened, as she continued, inclining her head towards her crossbow on the table.

"After one of my mentors was murdered by a rival tribe, I exacted my revenge. It was just me and my arrows against the world, I was unstoppable, and I enjoyed every single one of my kills," she paused, frowning, "But there was something bigger going on. I found out that the mentors that had trained me since I was abandoned as a child were actually the ones that were evil. I was just a pawn in their little game. They wanted to take over the ruling of my planet, and use my skills to get them there. They wanted me to slaughter thousands. I could have done it easily too, but I refused. I didn't want to be controlled anymore, so I rebelled, started a revolt and liberated the Polemonians, my race, from their regime. Afterwards, when I thought Planet Polemos was finally free, they somehow escaped prison and ambushed me, destroying the very thing that they had created."

"How old…?" the halfling asked, his voice tailing of weakly.

"I was fifteen," she smiled back, brushing off his saddened look with a shrug, "Don't feel sad for me Gohan, I've come to terms with my death after over three-hundred years."

"Three- _hundred?_!"

"Something like that," Alala said thoughtfully, "three-hundred and three? four? Huh, I suppose you loose track after all this time."

"That's mental," breathed Gohan, "I really am the youngest here aren't I?"

"By miles," she laughed, "But not too far behind Makhai. And don't take anything he says to heart by the way, he likes to joke around."

"Yeah, I've noticed," the halfling drawled, a thought coming to mind, "So, I'll never age then? I'm stuck being eleven forever?"

"Not necessarily," the ex-assassin informed him, "Because you were so young when you died, you can choose to age as you would if you had lived. It's to do with the rules of Otherworld, in order to give children who die a second chance at life, to grow up. It's nice really. And the rules still apply here even if we are technically in the realm of the living because you're still dead."

"So I have a choice of whether I want to grow up or not?" Gohan gaped, hardly believing his ears.

"You don't have to do anything special," Alala smiled, "You'll continue to age unless you tell Whis or King Yemma that you want to stay as you are. I strongly advise that you allow your body to grow, unless you want to be called shortie forever."

The pre-teen chuckled, his chest feeling a little lighter, "Yeah, I think I might. It would be pretty sad never to grow up."

She sighed, "Yeah, sometimes I regret asking King Yemma to stay in this body. But I never wanted to loose sight of myself, of the person I became before I died. The rest of the recruits chose the same."

"That makes sense," said Gohan, a playful smile spreading across his face, "But you lot aren't as short as me. So I think I'm going to grow up and then tease all of _you_ for being half-pints."

They giggled, before the girl gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"You're alright you know Gohan," she said, her eyes searching him before she grinned, "The others might not see it yet, but give them time. Whis chose you for a reason, he tried to humble us when he asked you to show your power."

"Really?" he blinked, "He would do that?"

"It worked I think," she nodded, "He is fond of you, and there is no doubt that you are strong for your age. All of us are."

The young saiyan knitted his eyebrows in thought, as Alala spoke again, "People like us are destined to serve the universe, and there is no higher honour than that."

"Thanks Alala," he smiled.

"No problem," she yawned, jumping down from the windowsill and giving her arms a good stretch, "In the meantime, train hard. I want to be selected over you when you're at your best at the least."

"I'll try," Gohan chuckled, watching her as she picked up her crossbow and put it over her shoulder.

"And who knows," Alala shrugged, "Maybe you'll get to say sorry to your family one day. Things have a way of coming back to us after all, if not always in the way we expect."

Then, faster than his eyes could follow, did the ex-assassin draw her bow and fire an arrow that embedded into the wall just above his head. Gohan yelped as the razor sharp spear narrowly missed his hair, and was about to ask the girl if she was completely of her rocker when he noticed a familiar blue sash hanging from the arrow.

"You must have dropped that outside the camp when you arrived, figured you might want it back," Alala grinned back at him, "Get some rest newbie, you'll be needing it tomorrow."

And with that, she spun on her heel, making her way up the spiral staircase to her sleeping quarters. Gohan stared after her in disbelief, before coming to his senses and grabbed his old sash, running his fingers over the frayed fabric and shaking his head in amusement. He hadn't even realised he had dropped it, and he knew he would have been incredibly sad should he have lost it.

When he had recovered, the young halfling made his way back to his room, where Makhai's thunderous snores had made themselves known. He could see the silhouette of the boy lying spread eagled on his bed, his chest heaving with each snore. It seemed that the other boys were used to it, as the room seemed still otherwise.

Not wanting to anger Deimos again, and cause any more noise, Gohan crept as tentatively as he could to his bed. But as he finally pulled the covers over him, did an abrupt shout sound from across the room.

"Honestly, does no one have any respect for a persons solitude around here?!" Deimos yelled, before the audible sound of a textbook snapping shut reached his ears and it flew across the room, hitting a sleeping Makhai in the head.

To the young saiyan's surprise, the boy didn't stir, and the snoring stopped altogether.

Well, for about five seconds.

**_SSSSNNNNNOOOOOOOORRRREEEEEEEEE_ **

"Argh! CURSE YOU!" Deimos cried in exasperation, causing Gohan to erupt into giggles.

"And you can shut up as well you insolent child!" the seething teenager shrieked, it was a wonder how Kratos didn't wake up from the sheer volume of the three boys.

He snorted as Makhai's snoring continued and Deimos proceeded to hurl several heavy books in his direction. Gohan bit his lip, burying his face into the pillow to prevent himself from laughing even harder, his blue gi sash wrapped tightly in his palm.

* * *

_Originally Posted on 25th April, 2018._


	4. Training Begins

This was not what he had in mind when he thought of destroyer training.

The morning had started off along the lines of what he had envisioned - with a literal bang, caused by the sudden appearance of a floating sand timer that exploded at the crack of dawn. Slightly singed, but by no means undeterred, Gohan threw on the required attire of a clean light blue tracksuit and white trainers and hurried out into the meadow to meet Whis along with the rest of the recruits. His talk with Alala last night had certainly improved his mood, and had made him even more determined to make a difference to the universe. However, he couldn't help but feel put out when Whis was nowhere in sight, and seven sets of mops and buckets were waiting for them instead.

He was awfully confused, though his peers did not seem fazed by this in the slightest and proceeded to take a mop and bucket each before flying out to the enormous tree that housed Beerus' castle. The young saiyan followed hesitantly, slopping half of the warm soapy water over himself as Eris snapped at him to hurry up. He wasn't sure what mops and buckets had to do with their training, but he wouldn't have to wait long to find out.

"Ugh, I _hate_ housekeeping," Makhai whined, abandoning his scrubbing and flopping against the bark of the ancient tree.

"Do you really have to do this every morning?" asked Gohan, dipping his mop back into the water, "Not even my mum cleans this much!"

It was unbearably hot so far up in the sky, the air thick and humid. Beads of sweat were evident on the young saiyan's brow as he continued to scrub the ageing tree bark. And his peers were in no better state. The heat almost reminded him of his time in The Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where it was so impregnable that it was difficult to breathe. Even so, it wasn't much of a work out, all it did was make him sweaty.

"Oh stop your whining," Eris said haughtily from a few branches back, her wild air pinned into an up-do over her crown, "The quicker you get off your _arse_ Makhai, the faster we will be finished."

Bia chuckled heartily from the trunk below them, "In answer to your question Gohan, yes, we do this every morning, as well as carry out other duties such as fetching food items from other planets, cleaning the palace and gardening."

"But why?" the halfling enquired, "I don't see what this has got to do with becoming a God of Destruction."

"Exactly my point, Sparky," Makhai drawled, closing his eyes and resting the back of his head against the tree.

"Performing menial tasks is very good for maintaining discipline," said Bia, unknowing just how much she reminded Gohan of his mother in that moment, "Plus it keeps everything spick and span, I trust you saw the mess you made after you and Kratos fought yesterday? Battle dust certainly is a nuisance to get out of tree bark you know."

The halfling heard a disgruntled noise behind him at the comment, and wasn't surprised when he saw Kratos hovering above the branches with his own mop, cleaning rather aggressively. The older boy had ignored Gohan all morning, apart from shooting him the occasional glare.

"But didn't Whis just wave his sceptre and everything went back to normal?" the pre-teen asked, the thought crossing his mind, "Couldn't he just do that for all of the cleaning?"

"Absolutely not!" Kratos finally snapped, his hard blue eyes narrowing at him, "How dare you even suggest it! It is your duty at this time to do as Master Whis asks of you, and I won't hear any more complaining!"

Gohan huffed, grabbing his mop rather haughtily and flinging more water than was needed across the branch, silently hoping that some of the excess hit Kratos in the face.

"It's not all bad Gohan, the housework won't take too long what with seven of us now," Alala chimed from the bark to his left where she was mopping with a rather disgruntled Deimos, "And I'd lower your voice if I were you Kratos, you might wake up Lord Beerus and you know how he can get if you disturb his nap."

"Does he really sleep that much?" asked Gohan, "Whis said that he had been doing a lot of napping recently."

"Destroyer Gods go through cycles of hibernation and destruction," said Bia, "although their sleep cycles can vary from days to a few centuries."

"Oh right, Beerus mentioned that Whis had woken him up early, he didn't seem too happy about it," he replied thoughtfully.

"That's _Lord_ Beerus to you child, and you will address him by his full title," Kratos growled, "Master did indeed rouse him earlier than planned so that he could inspect the new recruit, though I hardly think it was worth the effort."

The young saiyan shrunk back slightly. He was still getting used to the formalities, but still, did he have to be so mean about it?

"What's got your knickers in a twist Kratos?" Makhai jested, "Aww did the iccle bitty saiyan cub scare you with his shiny golden hair?"

The warrior snarled, "You'd better wind your neck in Makhai before I shove this mop up your -"

"The amount they destroy works in harmony with the amount they sleep," Bia continued, cutting across them, "for if there is too much destruction, the universe will implode. The same goes creation."

"So where are the creation Gods?" Gohan quirked, "I haven't seen any around."

A small burst of laughter escaped them, as Makhai spoke, "The Supreme Kai has his own realm and attendant. There used to be more but a manic ancient monster wiped four of the five out some years back. They may be Gods but they are much weaker than Gods of Destruction, as their job is to create and fill planets with life. They'd wet themselves if they were asked to come here, but I doubt they'd be even permitted to visit. Destroyers can mostly go where they please though."

"Is everyone really that scared of the Gods of Destruction?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," said the older boy, "You'd be scared too if you saw him in action."

"He sneezed once and destroyed three suns," Eris told him, "You would be wise not to take his power lightly."

The halfling gaped, "Is he really that strong?!"

" _Insanely_ so," said Makhai, "No one can stand up to him in this entire universe. Well, except for Whis, but he was the one that trained him."

"Whis trained Lord Beerus?!"

"Of course he did you fool," Deimos piped up with a roll of his eyes, "He is Lord Beerus' attendant, and that would include training, like he is doing for us."

"Oh," Gohan mustered, feeling a little stupid, it did make sense after all, "Sorry, I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it little man," Makhai smiled, throwing his arm over his shoulders, "The first time Kratos showed up here he thought that Whis was the God and Lord Beerus was the attendant. Nasty business."

"Right! That's it!" the recruit in question roared, throwing down his mop in a hissy fit as the rest of the group snorted with laughter, "I've had enough. You two idiots are on maid duty!"

Makhai scoffed, "Who died and made you boss?"

"Don't make me tell you twice _Lethien_!" Kratos spat, "You're both slowing down this whole process, and at this rate we won't be doing any training until nightfall."

"Well _you're_ the one that just chucked your cleaning utensil off the tree," the ginger-haired boy said pointedly, "I'd say that's rather counterproductive if you ask me."

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" He bellowed, yet Makhai merely shrugged.

"Fine, your loss," he sighed, lifting off into the air, "Come on Gohan, I'll show you the ropes."

The young saiyan didn't need to be told twice, and quickly followed suit, spiralling down from the world encompassing branches and towards the palace below them.

"I think he's still mad at me," sighed Gohan, as the stone temple came into view.

Makhai snorted, "Don't take it personally, that bloke has a permanent buzzborg in his overgrown bonnet. He has a sad story, but so do we all, he just let it get to him. Though it probably doesn't help that you bruised his ever expanding ego. I however, find it hilarious."

He didn't know what a buzzborg was, though he presumed it was some sort of alien bee. He didn't ask though, he was too ticked off. Kratos was the one who had taken their fight too far, not him. And he felt as though he was being punished for it.

"He's a git Gohan," said Makhai, catching onto the look on his face, "Don't let him get to you. He'll come around you'll see. And if he doesn't, then just take the piss out of him like I do. At least I'll get a laugh out of it."

The young saiyan couldn't help but laugh at that, "What does maid duty involve anyway?"

All he received was a mischievous grin as they landed outside the temple. "Oh," said Makhai, pushing open the doors, "You'll see."

* * *

"How the in the bloody hells are we supposed to do this?!" Gohan hissed, gaping at the task at hand.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Makhai scoffed, folding his arms across his chest and giving him a pointed look, "You're too young to be swearing."

"I'm too young to do most things apparently," the halfling shot back in annoyance.

The older boy chuckled at his display, holding his hands up in defence, "Alright, alright, I'll ease off on the toddler jokes."

_"Thank you."_

"Doesn't mean I won't still call you shortie though."

"Is everything a joke to you?!" Gohan griped.

"No, not everything," Makhai said seriously, "Mass genocide isn't very funny. Well, for most people anyway. Deimos found it a good crack, that's what got him locked up in HFIL."

"You what?" the young saiyan gaped, no wonder he got such a bad feeling from the boy! Still, he was so quiet now, what with his nose buried in textbooks at every given opportunity. He just didn't seem capable. Still, he reasoned, he was a candidate to become the next God of Destruction.

"Yeah, Deimos was this crazy warlord in the living world, used all kinds of evil magic to kill off a shit load of species until a good wizard did him in," Makhai informed him almost indifferently, "He's changed a lot though, I suppose that a couple of centuries hanging around ogres can do that to a bloke. They look quite scary, but they're a simple lot."

"I can't believe it," the pre-teen whispered, "Mass genocide, really?"

"Yup," the boy whistled, "My cause of death too, inadvertently though I suppose. No one really had it out for me that much, just wanted to lock me up in prison."

"H-how?" Gohan asked tentatively, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Even though he knew that it wouldn't change the fact that Makhai was dead and had been so for quite some years, he still didn't like the thought of him dying.

"I was an outlaw," he explained, "A thief, a rebel. Ran away from my home planet Lethe in the North Galaxy when I was wanted by every law enforcement in the world, though it wasn't long before the galactic patrol were after me too. I was hiding on a planet off the beaten track when Frieza and his cronies rocked up and decided to blow it up."

"Frieza?!" the young saiyan gasped in horror, "You're telling me that _Frieza_ killed you?!"

He shrugged, "Call it being in the wrong place at the wrong time, along with a dash of bad luck. Why, did you know him?"

" _Know_ him?!" Gohan spluttered, "I fought him!"

"You," Makhai stared, pointing his finger at him, "You fought Lord Frieza. The moat fearsome tyrant to ever rule over the galaxies?"

"Uh, yeah."

"When?!" the boy scoffed disbelievingly, "Were you in nappies or something?!"

"I was five."

Makhai gave him a deadpan look, before erupting into hysterics, much to Gohan's chargin.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHA - Oh wait you're serious," he said, stopping himself short as he caught onto the pre-teen's glare, "Bloody hell! You're actually serious aren't you?"

Slowly, the halfling nodded, causing Makhai to gasp, "Blimey, no wonder you're so strong! What happened? I got word about that bastard being killed. Don't tell me it was you who did the deed?!"

"Well actually, it was my dad that defeated him," Gohan explained, "He survived unfortunately and came to Earth, but a boy from the future finished him off for good."

Makhai gaped, "I can't tell if you're completely off your head or not, though you must have been to have a go at Frieza at age five."

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, prompting the older boy to give him a bewildered look.

"Sorry? For what?"

"Frieza," Gohan sighed heavily, vivid, cruel memories flashing through his mind, "I'm sorry that it was Frieza who killed you. That heartless monster was the worst."

"Ah it's fine," Makhai smiled, "I was sixteen when I died, and I'd had a good life, though a few years of running and hiding was enough for me anyway. They locked me up in HFIL for the crimes I'd committed, but the ogres were much nicer to me than the other inmates. I didn't have mummy and daddy to steer me on the right path you see. I bet they must have been so disappointed, but I have no regrets. I only took this gig on for a laugh, but I suppose it would be nice to give something back to the universe. It's a shame though really, Frieza got the lot of us in the end, my race the Lethiens were incredibly gifted warriors and he was rightly scared of them. Easiest solution of course was to blow us all up."

"It was kind of his thing," the young saiyan spat darkly.

He chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder, "And don't worry, I won't hold it against you for not killing him. As long as you got a good hit on that bastards smug face."

Gohan couldn't help but shoot him a wicked grin, "Oh you bet I did."

Makhai smiled back, before turning to the mighty assignment in front of them, "Right then, let's get to work."

"Mind explaining how we do this again?" he asked, tugging on the pink frilly fabric around his waist, "and are the aprons really necessary?"

"Of course not," said Makhai, "I just want to feel pretty."

Gohan shot him a most hateful glare.

"Great Zalama among us I was _joking_!" he exclaimed, "Whis makes us wear them, and what he says goes I'm afraid. Blimey, you are way too serious for a ten year old."

"I'm eleven!" the halfling spouted hotly, "and you said that you wouldn't make jokes about my age anymore!"

"Hey don't look at me," he replied, "I'm training to be a deity, not a saint. You shouldn't be so trusting."

"Evidently," Gohan snarled, causing the older boy to snicker.

"Ah come on," Makhai smiled, showing off his fangs, "Seen as it's your first time, I'll be gentle. You can play look out and make sure Lord Beerus doesn't wake up whilst I change the sheets."

"Fine," the young saiyan drawled, he had a really bad feeling about this.

Lord Beerus' sleeping quarters was unlike anything he had seen before. Situated in a vast chamber with no windows, the only light reflecting off the dozens of floating sand-timers that Gohan had been extremely careful to avoid for want of them not exploding. The entire room was engulfed in a soft yellow glow, though the pre-teen could not depict just where the light was coming from. They were deep within the palace after all, and the air was suffocatingly warm and humid, it didn't help the fact that the God of Destruction was emitting that same energy that weighed a tremendous pressure on his senses.

Lord Beerus was sleeping peacefully, and didn't look all that threatening as his body was contorted at an odd angle, his long pointed tail twitching at every breath he exhaled. He wore a faded blue nightgown, his blankets twisted at the end of the oval shaped bed that was suspended in mid-air by a jagged rock that protruded from the darkness below them from which Gohan could not see the bottom.

"Right so," Makhai spoke, clapping his hands together as his features became more serious, "First rule, don't wake him up. Lord Beerus doesn't take lightly to people interrupting his nap, if we wake him it could cost us our lives. Well, wipe us from existence."

Gohan was so shocked that his startled voice echoed over the chamber, "WHAT?!"

"Shhh!" the older boy pressed, causing the young saiyan to clamp his hands over his mouth sheepishly.

His eyes darted towards the dangerous deity but was shortly relieved when he found that he was still fast asleep.

"Yeah if you die when you're already dead then poof!" Makhai continued, "You're wiped from the planes of existence. Though, it wouldn't matter if we were alive anyway, alive or dead if you're destroyed by a destroyer then there is no coming back from that."

Gohan gulped, slowly removing his hands, "So how are we going to manage changing his sheets without waking him up?"

He shrugged indifferently, "We just have to wait until he rolls over."

The halfling blinked, surely he wasn't serious? Lord Beerus looked incredibly comfortable, his light snores filling the air, who knows how long they would be waiting for the deity to untangle himself from his bedsheets. It wasn't fair, Gohan wanted to train, not hang around an ancient destroyers bedroom in a frilly apron waiting on the off chance for him to turn over in his sleep.

After a few minutes of silence, the young pre-teen sighed, hovering over Lord Beerus as he continued to snore. He couldn't help but giggle, as the most deadliest God there was mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, a bubble of snot protruding from his nostril.

"You know," Gohan chuckled quietly, "for someone so powerful he doesn't half look silly in his sleep."

As his voice echoed over the chamber, Lord Beerus snapped open one eye without warning.

Gohan squeaked, nearly falling out of the air as the destroyer God's beady pupil fixated on him. It felt like it was penetrating his entire soul, and he could have sworn that his entire life flashed before his eyes - again.

Luckily, Makhai was quick to intervene.

"Good morning Lord Beerus!" He chirped, shoving him out of the way and standing to attention, one hand raised in salute, "This is just a dream! Go back to sleep now, that's a good kitty cat."

Gohan held his breath as Beerus continued to stare at the boys, when slowly, his eyelid closed shut and his snores reached their ears once more.

"Phew," he breathed, turning his back towards the deity as he spoke, beads of sweat evident on his brow, "That was close."

"Too right," said Makhai, clapping him on the back, "You'd better stay back and let me handle this, you've got to be careful mate."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Gohan replied tentatively, "For a moment there I thought I was a goner -eek!"

His sentence was abruptly cut short, as a strong, powerful arm suddenly wrapped around his neck from behind and he was pulled backwards onto the mattress below. He had to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep himself from screaming both out of shock and out of pain. Somehow, in his delirium, Beerus the Destroyer had sat up in his slumber and thinking that Gohan was some sort of large teddy bear, pulled him back down with him, cradling him close.

So close that poor halfling was currently being held in a headlock, his neck burning with agony and his head swimming with lack of oxygen. He was fighting to keep himself conscious, though didn't want to struggle to much for want of not waking Beerus up and having to explain just why the new recruit was nestled in bed with him.

"Brilliant Gohan!" Makhai beamed, keeping his voice to a whisper, "Stay just like that, and lift him up whilst he still has hold of you. I'll change the sheets underneath!"

He nodded wordlessly, and gritting his teeth in pain he gathered his Ki, pushing it underneath him so that he was able to levitate both him and Beerus off of the mattress and into the air. Gohan thanked his lucky stars that he was still snoring, though the hold on his neck was tighter than ever.

"Will you hurry _up_?!" Gohan hissed below him, where he could depict the sound of flapping bedsheets. "I swear you're going slow on purpose."

Makhai chuckled mischievously, "I'm just ironing out the creases!"

The young saiyan honestly felt like slapping him.

He was struggling for breath, though relief filled his chest when a small shout from the older boy signalled that he was finished. He made to lower them back down onto the bed, when a pungent smell reached his nostrils, nearly causing him to gag.

"Lord Beerus," Makhai cooed, holding something wrinkled and smelly in his palm, a peg attached to his nose, "Here sleepy kitty, a dried sardine! Yum yum, come and get it!"

Slowly, but surely, they landed softly on the now fresh sheets, and Beerus finally rolled over, releasing Gohan in order to chew on the smelly fish.

The halfling gasped for air as he was freed, gulping down relieving breaths of oxygen as he rubbed his sore neck. He winced as he recovered, watching as Lord Beerus swallowed his mouthful and licked his lips, drifting back into a deep sleep.

He had no idea just where Makhai had pulled the sardine from, and in all honesty he really didn't want to know.

"There, all done!" the boy chimed happily, his nose now peg free, "A successful venture I'd say."

"Successful?" Gohan spluttered, "I almost _died_ , again!"

"Exactly!" he grinned back, "You _almost_ got destroyed, but you didn't. I'd call that a win, wouldn't you?"

As the pre-teen opened his mouth in an angry retort, did a loud, thunderous bellow interrupt him.

"WORST DISH EVER!" Lord Beerus cried in a fit of rage.

He was still asleep, thank goodness, quite obviously dreaming. Though that didn't stop him from failing his tail around and walloping the two startled boys in the chest.

Gohan and Makhai went flying across the chamber, the wind completely knocked out of them as the careened through the air. They hit something solid with a sickening **CLANG** and it took them a few seconds to realise just what they had crashed into to.

"Oh SHIT!" Makhai swore loudly, as the sand-timer glowed an alarming bright yellow, a whirring sound reaching their ears.

Then, before Gohan could even blink, Makhai had whizzed the pair of them and the ticking time bomb out of the palace, far away from Lord Beerus and his sleeping quarters. They somehow reappeared where they had started, within the twisting branches of the enormous ancient tree and right in front of a flabbergasted Kratos.

"Oi Kratos mate, hang onto this for us would you?" Makhai winked, before disappearing once more.

**BOOM!**

The force of the explosion rocked the entire tree, the branches and leaves blowing back from the force as the bright yellow light eclipsed the atmosphere.

As the dust subsided, Makhai and Gohan were nowhere to be found, leaving the rest of the recruits coughing and spluttering through the smoke.

"Well," said Bia, brushing the remnants of sand off her tracksuit before clasping a seething and singed Kratos on the shoulder, "You've got to give them points for creativity."

Far away from the others, the troublesome pair reappeared in a flower filled meadow, both of them roaring with laughter.

"That was brilliant!" laughed Gohan, tears in his eyes, "what was that move? Instant transmission?"

The way Makhai had just materialised them in front of Kratos and away again was all to reminiscent of his father's technique.

"Instant transmission?" he quirked curiously, "Nah, never heard of it. That there Sparky, was just teleportation, you'll learn it from your time here."

"Wicked," the young saiyan beamed, he couldn't wait to learn more.

"Come on, the fun doesn't stop there," Makhai grinned, guiding him by the shoulders, "Now that we've changed Lord Beerus' sheets we've got a lot more to get done before we can start training."

House keeping, as it turned out, involved a lot more than just scrubbing the ancient tree and collecting daily food supplies. Although their food haul had increased substantially with the addition of the young half saiyan. Every morning started off the same way, they would be rudely awoken by the explosive sand-timer, and spend the hours until late afternoon mopping, washing, scrubbing, cutting a entire field of grass that only grew back the next day, and cleaning out slimy smelly fish bowls that belonged to some oracle fish.

They would stop for a short lunch before heading out into the meadow to meet Whis, who would put them through their paces in regards to strength and resistance training. They would be subjected to lifting a tremendously heavy block that resembled cinder and run laps around the planet, however, there was a catch as the pathway would begin to disappear underneath their feet and should they fall they would be cast into another dimension from which there was no return. Once the recruits got comfortable with the weight, Whis would double it.

Another interesting way to train was to perform fifty-thousand thumb-ups in gravity dense suits that created more resistance than Bulma's latest artificial gravity simulator she had built for Vegeta in the run up to The Cell Games.

His new master had many weird and wonderful ways to train them, each one as gruelling as the next. Though despite a rather shaky start, Gohan found that he was beginning to fit in amongst the rest of the recruits, catching up steadily to their level of intense training. He spent the majority of his time with Makhai, who was quickly becoming more of a best friend despite the age difference. Alala and Bia spoke with him often, but more often than not were they wrapped up in their own training, however, the rest of the recruits mainly ignored him. Things had been tense with Kratos ever since their fight, though he was more inclined to brush it off as Makhai had suggested and not take it personally.

He had learned the backstories of the two other recruits in the meantime. The dark feeling he had gotten from Eris was solid in it's truth. According to Makhai, Eris had been an evil seventeen year old empress that had brought chaos and war to her planet some hundred and fifty years ago. She was killed by rebels when they managed to overthrow her vindictive rein, though just like Deimos she repented, and he dark humour and haughty attitude was all that was left of the corrupt princess that once was. Makhai loved teasing her, and the pre-teen as inexperienced as he was, couldn't help but think that the ginger-haired Lethien had a bit of a thing for her.

Bia, on the other hand, was as good as they came. She died around a hundred years before Eris at just nineteen, and was apart of a planet of all female warriors who lived to bring peace to surrounding planets, though were fierce and deadly when attacked. Bia gave her life to save her sisters when their planet was attacked by outlaws, and had been training on the Grand Kai's planet ever since.

Weeks, maybe months fled by, though Gohan had realised he had begun to lose count of the days since he had died. He could feel himself getting stronger, and was even managing to dodge Lord Beerus' catastrophic sleep sneezes. He was close to mastering his super saiyan two transformation, something that only Whis and Makhai had been informed of and had taken to venturing out alone in the dead of night to power up into the ascended state and see how long he could maintain it. He would spar with his shadow, perform katas that his father had taught him many years ago, and meditate to clear his mind. In truth, he was still conflicted over his decision to stay away from his family and friends, though he reasoned that time healed, and he hoped that his would heal soon.

In between housework and training, the young saiyan would study in the common room with the rest of the recruits. He was utterly fascinated with the structure of the universe, and the various rules and regulations that deity's had to abide by. He would spend time next to the roaring blue fire pouring over thick leather bound books and fill his brain with various languages and information regarding races, galaxies and stars. Things that would have seemed like fantasy a few months ago, but now was all too real, and there was a lot to learn. He hadn't even started on the books that Makhai had given him on his first day of the camp, instead he had taken to raiding the bookshelves in the common room.

Still, gaining all this knowledge and strength wasn't all that worth it to Gohan without having the chance to test it out. The recruits hadn't been permitted to spar with one another for some time, having been instructed by Whis to explore their power separately. This was confusing for the young boy, as he didn't understand just how they were supposed to compete or test their power when they weren't allowed to spar. However, his patience was rewarded, when one sunny morning were they roused from their beds with yet another sand-timer bomb.

Gohan yawned and stretched indifferently, before clambering out of bed and pulling on his usual blue tracksuit. Slightly singed, though undeterred, Gohan and the rest of the recruits filed out of the camp and out to the meadow, where instead of the usual mops and buckets, was Whis standing before them with a quirky smile.

"Do you always have to use the sand bombs Master Whis?" Makhai whined, blinking the sleep out of his eyes and squinting up at the Angel in the morning sun. "I swear I keep getting sand in my underpants."

Whis simply chuckled, "You'll have to get used to them if you want to become the next God of Destruction."

The ginger haired teen huffed, "You wouldn't be saying that if _you_ had sand stuck up your-"

"Master," Bia interjected before Makhai could finish his sentence, "may I ask why you have greeted us with your presence so early? Has our training schedule changed for today?"

"You could say that Bia my dear," Whis smiled ever wider, "Training is cancelled for today, as you have been chosen to go on a mission."

Gohan's eyes widened, Whis had mentioned something about going on missions when he had first arrived on Beerus' planet. But what would the mission entail? A feeling of dread suddenly crept its ways into the pit of his stomach. Oh no, he was really hoping that he wouldn't have to destroy anything so soon.

His train of thought was cut short however, by the sound of Makhai squealing in his ears.

"FINALLY!" He beamed, throwing his arm over Gohan's shoulders, "It's about time you gave us something exciting to do Master Whis! And it'll be Sparky's first time too! Don't you worry little man, we'll be gentle. Ooh this is the best day ever!"

"Do calm down and have some dignity!" Eris snapped in disapproval at the display.

"Sorry love, lost that when I died."

"I doubt you had it before."

"Oi!"

"Settle down, settle down," Whis chuckled, before he surveyed the seven recruits, his features becoming serious, "Now, your first mission as a party of seven will not be an easy feat by any means. Just because you are new to us Gohan, doesn't mean that I'll be taking the others back to basics."

The young saiyan gulped as Makhai nudged him in the ribs and said, "Gutted."

"As it is, the Supreme Kai has been in touch, as an inter-dimensional beast has been reeking havoc across the cosmos," the Angel continued, the recruits standing to attention, "This creature gains power by feeding off off light energy and has been devouring suns, already destroying countless worlds over the last few days. It needs to be stopped, or else the universe will become imbalanced. I thought it would be a perfect task for my destroyers in training, don't you agree?"

Kratos smashed his fists together, "An excellent task Master, we will destroy this monster without a moment wasted. Though I do not think you'll need all seven of us for this mission."

Gohan frowned, as the warrior inclined his head towards him.

"Let's find out, shall we?" Whis winked, tapping his staff so that they were all engulfed in a white beam of light, "The Supreme Kai believes he knows where the beast will strike next, and it will take us approximately nine minutes and forty-eight seconds to get there. Keep your arms and legs inside The Warp at all times now."

And they were off. The young saiyan felt a tremendous pull at his navel as they jerked forwards and shot up into the sky, past the atmosphere and hurtled headlong into deep space. Now Gohan had experienced space travel first hand on the way to Namek, but this was on a whole new level. Once he had gotten over the shock of being thrown into space, the pre-teen could admire the vast array of stars and planets whizzing past them at break neck speed, though he held onto the back of Whis' garb tightly, weary of falling out of the white foggy light that carried them towards their destination. The others seemed completely unfazed by the speed and the fact that they were flying through space without a spaceship.

A part of Gohan was excited, he had been waiting for something to test his strength for ages now. And yes, they were heading off to destroy something, but whatever this creature was, it had taken countless lives already, and would surely continue in it's destructive path if it wasn't stopped. That, the young saiyan could live with, though it didn't help stop his knees from knocking together.

"You nervous Gohan?" Bia asked when they had been warping for a few minutes.

This drew the attention of the other recruits, causing him to blush and look down at his feet. He really wished Bia wasn't so good at reading a persons emotions. He could feel Kratos' eyes burning into the back of his head, though to his relief he didn't say anything.

"Nervous?" Makhai scoffed, before breaking out into a fanged smile, "Don't be nervous! You have nothing to fear little man!"

"Aw the little saiyan cub is tense," Deimos snorted, causing Alala to shoot him a glare.

"No he's not!" she snarled, hunching her bow further up on her shoulder, her sharp pointed arrows strapped to her back in a quiver. She smiled brightly at him, "Don't worry Gohan, your power is amazing."

"Yeah and we've got your back," said Makhai, "Even though we're competing we're not about to let anyone get hurt."

Eris scoffed, "Speak for yourself."

"Oh ignore her," the boy said with a roll of his eyes, as Gohan gulped, "What do you need man? Deodorant? Breath mint? Fresh pair of underwear?"

"Underwear?" the dark princess wrinkled her nose in distaste, "You need help."

"What?" Makhai blinked, "It's best to come prepared!"

Alala gave him a reassuring wink as the pair continued to bicker, and steadily The Warp began to slow. The stars became clearer and the dusty ground beneath them came nearer - too near, Gohan thought as he ended up landing heavily on his backside as soon as they landed.

"Ouch!" He winced, his coccyx throbbing painfully as the others, who were still standing much to his chargin, looked towards him in amusement.

"We will have to work on that landing of yours Gohan," observed Whis, as Alala helped him to his feet, "But alas, another time. I believe you have more pressing matters to attended to."

For the first time, Gohan took in his surroundings. They were situated on what appeared to be an abandoned planet, it's surface made of crimson chalk. The sky above them glowed bright orange, due to the sun that burned incredibly close to the planet. He didn't know if the planet had been abandoned due to the sheer impregnable heat or the fact that the inhabitants had perished because of it. He was certain he wasn't feeling the intensity of the elements as bad because he was dead, though he could still feel the sweat rolling down his neck and back.

Broken buildings lay crumbled in heaps over the desolate wasteland, and as he stretched out his senses, he realised that he couldn't sense anything else on the entire planet. It was certainly eerie, and he wondered just where in the universe they were. However, there was no more time to contemplate as a sudden bloodcurdling screech reached his ears.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as the high pitched screaming grew louder. It sounded as though a million souls were being tortured at once, ringing in his ears and making his stomach clench with anticipation and fear.

A bright green light erupted from somewhere above the atmosphere, and what followed it made the young saiyan gape in horror. For Whis was certainly talking about a beast, the likes of which Gohan had never seen before, or imagined in any of his worst nightmares. It looked like some kind of giant deformed octopus, about four times the size of an adult Oozaru. It had eight enormous tentacles that seemed to propel it forwards towards them, it's bulbous head thrashing around wildly as it screamed, baring rows and rows of sharp jagged teeth. The pre-teen felt sick, it's entire body was covered in gelatinous slime that glistened sickeningly in the blinding sunlight. The stench emitting from the beast was overwhelmingly foul, it smelled like rotting eggs, flesh and a bucket load of those nasty dried sardines that Makhai always pulled from Kami knows where for Lord Beerus emergencies.

"Well, that's a little intense," said Makhai, as the deadly creature hurtled towards them.

"And this is where I leave you," Whis positively beamed, "Toodles!"

And with a flash of blinding white light, he was gone.

"INCOMING!" Kratos roared as the beast landed with an enormous crash, causing the rest of the recruits to shield themselves from the impact.

"Yuck! What in gracious hell _is_ that thing?!" Eris spat in disgust, uncovering her arms from her face and glaring at the monster.

"It doesn't matter what it is," said Kratos boldly, "All that matters is how we're going to destroy it."

"And how do you propose we do that, oh mighty one?" Makhai mocked, bowing to him comically.

The older warrior ignored him, immediately taking charge as the gigantic beast let out another high pitched wail, "The situation is simple, we go at that monster all at once with everything we've got before it eats any more suns, destroy it and get out."

"Sounds a bit boring if you ask me," Makhai snorted.

"Why you-!"

"For once I agree with Makhai," said Eris, her eyes hardening, "Experienced in leading a battalion or not, I'm not taking orders off of you, or anyone else for that matter."

"Aw, I didn't know you cared, my Princess of Darkness."

"Shove it!"

"When you've done arguing," Alala interjected pointedly, drawing her bow, "We've got a job to do."

Slowly, Kratos swallowed his pride, "Fine. Alala, you go ahead, the rest of us will follow. We need to power up to our maximum to ensure this beast's demise. I can sense a well of evil energy within it."

"Right," said Bia fiercely, before her body was enveloped in a striking silver glow.

Blues, reds, purples and oranges suddenly lit up the dusty crimson ground as they powered up. Deimos did so rather reluctantly, rolling his eyes before his own green aura accompanied the rest.

Gohan let out a sharp cry as he brought his power to the surface, immediately jumping to his super saiyan two form, lightening bolts jolting around his frame as his eyes turned emerald and his unruly hair a brilliant gold.

"And you," Kratos growled suddenly, his piercing gaze fixated on the halfling, "Stay out of my way."

The young saiyan was left stunned, as before he could retort did the six recruits kick off from the ground and speed towards the awaiting tentacled beast. Alala was first into the fray, releasing multiple arrows from her bow in rapid succession. They must have been manipulated with Ki somehow, as they were encompassed by violet flames that caused them to rip through the monster's slimy flesh and melt the surrounding skin away.

The creature howled with rage and agony, as the young assassin landed effortlessly before it, her dark hair whipping about her from the rapid winds that were steadily engulfing the planet. The influx of power from the recruits was mind boggling, and it was clear that the beast stood no chance against them.

With a loud battlecry, they charged, the already weakened beast snarled with fury, it's long tentacles flailing around violently in the air in an attempt to bat the recruits out of the sky. Sickly green blood poured from the wounds that Alala had inflicted, though Kratos still instructed the warriors to fire, serious about ending it quickly.

One, two, three, four, five, six multicoloured blasts intermingled with one another as the recruits unleashed their power. It propelled towards the snarling beast, igniting the crimson wasteland in a brilliant hue of light. The monster's beady eyes widened, before it became dazzled by the fused energy. It penetrated it's skin before it could react, erupting out of the other side of it's chest cavity and causing it to quiver.

Coming to his senses, Gohan made to follow the others, but before he could so much as make a move, the beast dropped to the ground. Dead.

The young saiyan sighed, dropping back to the first level of super saiyan, his golden aura dissipating in an instant. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. Why had Kratos held him back like that? He thought he had gotten over being intimidated by him by now. The other recruits had managed to get in there before Gohan could even blink. It wasn't fair. When was he going to be given the opportunity to test his strength? To prove his worth? To prove to himself and the others that he wasn't just a little kid playing some kind of game?

Then again, he surmised, nudging a motionless tentacle moodily with his foot, this manic monster that the Supreme Kai was so worried about didn't seem all that strong anyway.

"Well, that was easy," said Makhai, shrugging at the others, who also seemed a little disappointed at the challenge their mentor had set for them.

"Almost too easy," Alala mustered, picking up a bloodied arrow and wiping it clean on the hem of her tracksuit hoodie, "I don't like it."

"Oh come off it," the ginger haired teen scoffed, "Why are you being so sceptical all of a sudden? The Supreme Kai was scared shitless of this thing after all. I say we defeated it so easily because _we're_ all getting stronger."

**ROARRRRRRR!**

They froze, as a monumental roar sounded from somewhere in the distance. Not only did they hear it, did they actually feel it. The sound was so intense that Gohan could have sworn that his bones actually shook from the force. Goosebumps appeared on his arms as it sounded again. It was deeper, more thunderous than before, as if a tremendous thunderstorm was waging in his eardrums. He was certain that his expression took the same shape as the others, as their eyes darted about them cautiously.

"W-what was that?" asked Bia, and the pre-teen was surprised at her weary tone. Usually she spoke with such a calmness, and gave the impression that she was not fearful of anything. Even though she was brave enough to speak, she wasn't expecting an answer from them. Though her answer swiftly came in another burst of green light that erupted from the atmosphere.

Gohan's jaw hit the floor, as a similar being to the one they had just defeated careened towards them from a dimension unknown. Except this time, their opponent was even bigger than the last, colossal in comparison. It seemed to suck the light from it's path as it charged towards them, the gaping black hole of a mouth roaring with an anguish so intense that it was enough to make his ears pop.

"You were SAYING?!" Alala roared at Makhai, whose mouth was gaping like a fish.

"Um, I think the one we just fought was the baby," the young saiyan mustered meekly, earning himself a few exasperated glares.

"AND HERE COMES MAMA!" Makhai hollered, the beast approaching fast, "EVERYBODY DUCK!"

* * *

_Originally Posted on 6th June, 2018._


	5. Hero

The recruits threw themselves to the ground with no time to waste, their bellies hitting the crimson chalk as the manically charged monster flew overhead and landed a few feet away. It's landing caused the surface surrounding it to crack and fall apart, forming an enormous crater that was soon hidden by it's gigantic tentacles that protruded from it's slimy body.

They scrambled quickly to their feet and jumped high into the air as one of the offending appendages crashed into the space where they lay. Gohan heard Makhai swear loudly, and he couldn't help but silently think the same as he came face to face with the creature's large eye. There was no doubt in his mind that the mother beast was the biggest thing he had ever seen, let alone fought. It let out another bone quaking roar, sending bits of stinking saliva flying towards them. Some of it landed on Gohan's hoodie, and it was with horror did he realise that the jelly-like goo had burned a hole right through the fabric. He stripped himself of the tracksuit top hurriedly before it scorched his skin, throwing it down to the dusty ground before calling out to the others.

"Be careful! This thing spits acid!"

"Oh fan-frigging-tastic," Makhai huffed, rolling up his sleeves and getting into his flawless fighting stance, "That's just what we need, a sun sucking tentacled monster that can also melt your skin off."

"This is no time for your jokes Makhai!" Kratos snarled, his crimson aura erupting around his frame before he bellowed, "CHARGE!"

And just like that, he was gone, full throttle towards the rampaging beast without a second thought. Bia and Alala were right behind the older teenager, streaks of silver and violet billowing behind them in their wake. Eris rolled her eyes before grabbing a reluctant Deimos by the scruff of his tracksuit top and swiftly teleported them towards the epicentre of the battle.

"Ah well," Makhai shrugged, "If you can't beat 'em, do your best to try!"

"That's not how the saying goes-," Gohan frowned, but the fanged teen was already gone, rushing headlong towards the deranged octopus so fast that he nearly missed it.

With an almighty bellow, Makhai attacked, joining the others in their onslaught. Shockwaves rippled across the planet as the recruit's mighty blows connected and the monster was sent flying into the air. Though it didn't get far, as in a burst of deathly black energy did Eris materialise above the gigantic brute, delivering a hammer fist to it's gelatinous skull so that it plummeted back to the ground in a pitiful heap.

The beast howled as it recovered quickly, brandishing it's tentacles in anger, acid spitting from it's gaping mouth. The recruits were upon it almost instantaneously, the intensity of their assault reaching new heights as the monster attempted to knock them out of the sky. Gohan eagerly kicked off from the ground, determined not to get left behind this time. He joined his comrades in encircling their enemy, dodging Kratos' deadly warped spikes that erupted from the ground before finding an opening and booting the beast straight across the jaw with a powerful kick.

"Nice shot!" Makhai called, giving him a thumbs up from across the planes.

The pre-teen grinned back, feeling rather proud of himself as the monster toppled to the ground. Though his small victory was short lived, as a slimy tentacle shot towards him out of nowhere, wrapping around his torso and squeezing the air out of his lungs.

The young saiyan cried out, as the force from the deadly appendage caused his bones to groan in protest. He was being crushed, his head spinning from the lack of oxygen, his vision becoming blurred when -

**SLICE**

The agonising pressure on his body was released thanks to Bia, who appeared by his side, her arm encompassed by a brightly coloured Ki blade. The severed tentacle fell to the ground with a sickening thud as the young woman turned her concerned yellow eyes towards him, "Are you alright Gohan?"

"Y-yeah," he mustered shakily, his breathing coming up short, "Thanks for that."

She smiled back, before disappearing once more, just as the beast recovered from Gohan's blow. She reappeared just above the gigantic brute, swiping the Ki blade across it's skull. Though, to the young saiyan's horror, the blade splintered as soon as it touched the beasts skin, causing Bia to gasp.

"W-what?" she spluttered, before she was batted out of the air by another rough tentacle.

"BIA!" Gohan cried as she hit the ground, clouds of crimson dust exploding into the sky.

Kratos yelled with rage, his aura blazing as he hurtled towards the destructive monster, swinging his fists wildly as he charged. The beast roared as the teenager's fist connected with it's belly, the force was so great that it knocked the creature clean off the ground.

"Oi!" Alala cried, dodging swiftly out of the way as Eris shot up to meet it once more.

An abrupt shout escaped the dark princess' lips, and Gohan's eyes widened as her petite body was suddenly engulfed by an enormous tornado that swirled with pitch black clouds and crackles of bright white lightening. It grew bigger and bigger, speeding across the dusty planes, leaving a destructive path in it's wake.

"She always has to go overboard doesn't she?" Gohan heard Makhai sigh, before the raging winds picked up around them, and they both had to brace themselves in midair for want of not being sucked up in the twister.

The beast was not as lucky, and, distracted by Kratos' attack, was caught by the whirring cyclone, circling round and round with an irate shriek that escaped it's thick thraot before it was engulfed by the epicentre.

"Oh no you don't," Deimos growled, taking a strong stance against the hurricane-like winds, his palms outstretched and glowing a vibrant green, "You're not swiping away the victory of this battle Eris."

Without another word uttered, vibrant green flames erupted from his palms, the emerald fire created eerie shadows over the battlefield before careening towards the tornado. Kratos and Makhai followed suit, their own crimson and amber blasts intermingling before breaking through the surface of the whirlwind so that the torrent of air flashed and sparked with light.

"Wait! Won't you hit her?!" Gohan cried, aghast as the three males took aim once more.

"Ah don't worry Sparky, she's fine in there!" Makhai yelled back over the roaring winds, "It'd take a lot more than this to hurt Eris!"

Suddenly, a loud war cry cut across him, and Gohan just about made out the figure of Alala as she towered over the giant twister, her long dark hair whipping behind her in rapid succession. Her bow was drawn, her sharp arrow pointed towards the epicentre with a look of fierce determination in her eyes.

"What are you waiting for?! Do it NOW!" She roared, releasing the arrow into the darkness and causing the pre-teen to come to his senses.

"KAMEHAMEHAAAAAA!" He bellowed, the brilliant blue light erupting from his cupped palms as the others unleashed their attacks.

The blasts hit, swirling around the tornado and causing it to shine with a spectacular sapphire hue. Gohan could feel their combined power connecting, swelling, concentrating to a particular point where the beast was no doubt trapped. He crossed his arms over his face, bracing himself for the massive explosion that was to come when to his confusion, it didn't.

The twister continued to spin, though the light from their combined beams slowly diminished, before snuffing out completely. The young saiyan couldn't believe his eyes, as the familiar sound of the beast's shrieks reached his ears and the tornado was sucked out of the sky, revealing the now ballooned monster, completely unscathed.

"Oh shi-," Makhai started, when a cataclysmic explosion rocked the entire planet, bursting from the creature's jaws in a myriad of colour, sending shockwaves rushing towards them.

Eris screamed as she was caught in the blast, no longer protected by her attack. She was sent flying, her clothes smouldering and her wild hair completely dishevelled. Makhai caught her in midair, knocking the wind out of him before he and the rest of the recruits were hit by the aftershock, sending them tumbling to the ground in a heap. Gohan coughed, the dust from the wasteland filling his lungs. He was winded, though miraculously unhurt, the dark energy emitting from the monster stronger than ever before. His emerald eyes lit up with the fiery blasts that now erupted from it's acid dripping mouth, burning craters into the surface of the planet.

"Get _off_ me you peasant!" Eris growled, gaining the others attention as they staggered to their feet.

The dark princess shoved Makhai off her, jumping down from his strong embrace before lifting her nose haughtily in the air. The fanged teen all but grinned cheekily, giving the halfling a wink.

"It's no use," Alala growled from several feet away, tossing several broken arrows to the floor, "It's skin is impregnable all of a sudden."

"Damn it," spat Kratos, regrouping as the beast continued to shriek, "our attacks are barely making a mark. This beast is far more powerful than it's offspring."

" _Really_ now," said Makhai with a roll of his eyes, "I never would have guessed, honestly Kratos you're like a genius or something!"

"Now really isn't the time Makhai," said Alala seriously, as Kratos glared daggers at the ginger haired teen, "We need a plan to beat this thing before it destroys another galaxy!"

Gohan bit his lip, racking his brains as he tried to think of a way of how to beat a colossal monster with impenetrable skin that spat their attacks back at them whenever they got close to it, when a disgruntled noise distracted him. He sighed in relief, as Bia levitated before them, her tracksuit bloodied and torn in places, though she appeared otherwise fine.

"Bia," Kratos spoke, rushing towards her and grasping her delicate palm in his, "Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Kratos," said Bia, her yellow eyes fixated on the beast who was busy decimating the mountain range nearby, "It feels great anger towards us."

Eris snarled in distaste, "It's feelings are the least of my concerns right now Bia."

"No that's not it," the older teenager spoke calmly, "It draws it's strength from anger, ignited from the flames of a thousand suns in it's belly. It feeds off of negative energy and chaos. The more negative energy it is exposed to, the stronger it becomes."

Makhai frowned, "So you're saying…."

"That we need to work together," she stated, her gaze drifting to Kratos who abruptly let go out of her hand, "Not an easy feat I'm aware, but that means letting go of our grudges, and _believing_ in each other for once. Instead of dragging each other down and competing."

"Oh give me a break," snorted Deimos with a roll of his eyes.

"Not to rain on your noble parade Bia, but we _are_ in a competition," said Makhai, as a debris of rocks flew overhead from the beasts onslaught, "We're not here to hold hands and braid each others hair, we're here to win."

As the others muttered their agreement, Gohan mustered boldly, "Bia is right."

Kratos turned to him, raising an eyebrow in amusement, "Oh? And what suddenly makes you the expert? This is your first mission newbie, know your place."

"Oh I know my place," the eleven year old spoke dangerously, "I was chosen for the same role you were Kratos, which like it or not makes me your competition."

The older teen blinked, as he continued, "I may not be as experienced as the rest of you, but right now that doesn't matter. We have a job to do, and what matters is that we finish it before that monster destroys everything in its path. I don't like it much either, but if Bia is right and it draws power from the negative energy that we all harbour for each other then we all have to swallow our pride, suck it up and beat this thing. At least for now."

The others stared, intrigued by the young half-saiyan's words until Makhai gave him a wicked grin, "Well, you've certainly got balls kid. And I'd be showing myself up if I didn't chip in after that little speech."

Gohan blushed, as Bia and Alala smiled.

"Surely you can't be serious!" Kratos spat, "Where is your sense of honour towards competition?!"

"They'll be no competition if we're all wiped from existence Kratos," Eris drawled, straightening her horned crown atop her head.

"Yeah so stop being a negative Nancy and help us beat this ugly git!" Makhai spouted cheerily, raising his arm and placing his hand in the centre of them all.

Gohan, Bia and Alala followed suit, their hands falling on top of the other in comradery, looking towards the others expectantly.

"I refuse," Kratos snarled, still glaring daggers at Gohan. Though with a pointed look from Bia he sighed, placing his hand on top of hers reluctantly.

"Yeah, _no_ ," said Eris, turning away from the group and kicking off into the air.

"In your dreams," Deimos scoffed, before following Eris swiftly into the sky.

"Oh well, suit yourselves," Makhai shrugged after them, lifting their hands in salute, "GO TEAM!"

"I can't wait for this to be over," Kratos drawled, as they all powered up and blasted towards the awaiting beast.

Gohan was the first to arrive to the fray after Eris and Deimos, who were showering the destructive monster with a calculated onslaught, courtesy of their fists. The young saiyan joined them in rapid succession, delivering a spinning kick to the beast's skull that sent a sonic boom echoing across the planes. But alas, it did no such damage. It's tentacles were wild, swiping at the air with such ferociousness that it was difficult to get close to the brute.

"TAKE THIS!" Makhai bellowed, stretching out his palms and releasing an enormous spherical blast that careened towards their enemy.

"NO DON'T!" Deimos cried, but it was too late, the monster opened it's black hole of a mouth and gulped the powerful orb down, whole.

It's skin glowed brightly, before it spat the energy back at them with another shock of an explosion, causing them to retreat so that they didn't get caught in it. They had barely escaped, smoking and slightly singed, when the green skinned hellion rounded on Makhai.

"IDIOT!" shouted Deimos, a vein protruding from his bald head, "Swallowing your energy only makes it stronger!"

"W-what?!" he yelled back, "It can do that too and you knew?! Why didn't you say anything before?!"

"Because you cretins were too busy kissing and making up!"

"Gohan noticed it too," said Bia, causing the halfling in question to gape at her, "He feels very bad about it and wishes he had mentioned it sooner."

"Bia!" Gohan whined as the others glowered at him, "Will you _stop_ reading my mind please?!"

"Apologies young one," she smiled, "But your emotions are too strong to ignore, maybe you should work on controlling them more, it would be very useful in battle."

"Yeah let the newbie work on that _after_ we've destroyed this thing Bia," said Eris, dusting off her tracksuit and kicking another rouge tentacle away from her.

"If you had listened to Master Whis instead of making ridiculous jokes," Deimos continued, still arguing, "Then you would have known that!"

"Oi! Positive thoughts remember?!" said Alala forcibly, before sighing, "This thing is already growing stronger by the second. Which reminds me, any ideas on how we're going to beat it?"

"Our only hope is to get through that wall of tentacles and hit it with everything we've got," mustered Kratos, "We could blast it like the last one, though we'd have to be careful not to let it eat our attack. If it does then there's no way we will be able to destroy it, and I don't plan on failing Master Whis today."

"So we need some kind of distraction?" Makhai smirked, bowing to them comically, "Say hello to your master of deception. That I can do."

"I can use magic to suspend it's tentacles enough for the rest of you to get through," said Deimos, "Though you idiots will have to be quick about it, with how powerful it's become I'm not sure how long it will hold."

"Sounds like a plan," said Alala, "If a combined blast that strong can penetrate it's skin, I could get one of my arrows through it."

"I suggest you go straight to it's chest cavity in that case," offered Eris, "Even the greatest monsters have hearts, I doubt this creature is any different. It'll be an instant kill."

"I'm in," said Bia, a silver silhouette encompassing her frame, "Kratos, will you do the honours of leading us into battle?"

The hardened warrior smirked back before turning to Gohan, "What say you boy, think you can handle a full frontal attack?"

The young saiyan grinned, though his emerald eyes remained as hard as steel, "Oh you bet I can."

Finally, they were working together.

"Then let's go!" Kratos yelled, and at once they hurtled back towards the beast, save Makhai and Deimos who shot to the ground, awaiting their next move.

Through the tangle of tentacles they flew, careful to avoid the sharp whipping appendages as they rushed the monster in a series of rapid attacks. It was difficult to get close, as the tentacles provided a wall of safety for the beast, and Gohan, being the smallest was the only one able to slip past.

"Careful!" Alala cried, kicking a tentacle out of it's murderous path as it headed towards the young saiyan.

Another hit the assassin in the calves, causing her to jolt forwards before Gohan caught her by the scruff of her hoodie to stop her from falling. The pair stood back to back, firing off smaller blasts away from the beast's gaping mouth to create a path for Makhai's distraction.

Kratos, Eris and Bia were over the other side of the monster's bulbous head, in much the same position. Their limbs blurring in motion as they fought off the shrieking beast.

"Oi beasty! Feast your eyes on this!" Came a sudden holler, and to Gohan's surprise it worked. The monster inclined it's head over to Makhai, who was now in plain sight thanks to the path they had created. It seemed that the beast was just as shocked as the young halfling was, as it came face to face with Makhai's naked backside that was waving in front of him from the ground.

Eris face-palmed, as Kratos roared, "THAT'S your master distraction?!"

"It's working isn't it?!" The younger teen smirked from between his legs, his trousers shamelessly resting on his ankles, "DEIMOS NOW!"

"Great Zalama among us," the green-skinned hellion sighed in exasperation, before waving his hands in a series of complex moves, and causing the beast's thrashing tentacles to stop in motion.

"Let's do it Gohan!" Bia shouted, a ball of white hot Ki building in each of her palms.

The pre-teen nodded, as both Kratos and Eris got into position and with a mighty roar, they all unleashed their most deadly attacks.

"TITANS WRATH!"

"ROYAL DISCORD!"

"THEMIS CRASH!"

"KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gohan yelled, releasing his energy as the blast erupted from his palm.

To his delight, the combined blast hit the beast dead in the chest, and the monster was so distracted that it failed to react, it's tentacles still suspended in the air. The recruits poured every inch of their power into the beam, but ridiculously, it still hadn't broken through it's slimy skin. It was hurting, quite obviously so as it roared and squealed, attempting to move it's limbs as smoke rose from it's chest cavity over where they presumed it's heart to be.

"KEEP PUSHING!" Kratos bellowed, sweat pouring from his brow as he channelled more energy into the blast.

The young saiyan gritted his teeth, just how much was it going to take to kill this thing?!

"Hurry up!" Deimos cried over the beam struggle, his outstretched hands quivering against the beast's might, "I can't hold this for much longer!"

"We need to get closer!" Alala shouted, kicking off from her spot on the ground and drawing her bow, "More power!"

"Gotcha!" Makhai growled, his trousers thankfully back where there should be, firing another sphere of amber energy towards the monster, "HAAAAAAAA!"

It careened over their heads, crashing into the creatures scales in an explosive wave of power. It howled in pain, and the familiar smell of burning flesh tickled Gohan's nostrils. Sickly green blood oozed from the great gash in the beast's chest, and Alala swiftly fired her arrow, the Ki infused spear shining brightly as it careened expertly towards the monster's heart.

"Damn it!" Deimos spat suddenly, his magical grip on the tentacles loosening.

In an instant, the deadly limbs began to thrash, crashing into Gohan and the others, their beams cutting off abruptly. The young saiyan cried out as he was sent flying into a nearby cliff face, the rock crumbling around him as his back painfully hit the jagged surface. He was bleeding profusely from a gash in his side, his head spinning from the impact. But he didn't even register the amount of pain he was in, as a blood curdling scream cut through the air, causing his mouth to run dry and his eyes to widen in horror.

The alien creature had attacked them in a blind fury, and Alala was close. Too close. It felt as though it was happening in slow motion, as the beast grabbed her around the waist with one of it's newly free tentacles, squeezing her so tightly that Gohan could have sworn he heard her ribs crack. The recruits watched with gripping terror as it opened it's gaping mouth even wider, and then, just like how Eris' tornado had sucked the monster into it's depths, did the beast suck the light and heat from the red hot sun above them, and swallowed Alala down it's thick throat immediately after.

Gohan's blood ran cold, and he was certain that the icy feeling wasn't all to do with the fact that the sun had been snuffed out as easily as blowing out a birthday candle. The planet had been engulfed in complete darkness, his breath forming clouds in the freezing air. It felt as though he had been temporarily dunked underwater, his hearing distant and his brain cloudy, until a monstrous roar broke through the surface, and he realised that the wasteland surrounding him was on fire.

"ALALA!" He cried, coming to his senses, "NO! ALALA!"

He felt someone grab him from behind, stopping him from charging at the rampaging beast in front of him, who was too busy breathing fire than to pay any attention to the remaining recruits on the ground.

"Gohan!" Makhai yelled, the pre-teen realising it was his friend who had hold of him, "Gohan we need to leave!"

"W-what?!" he gaped, struggling out of his incredibly strong hold, "Leave?! We can't just leave! Alala is inside that monster!"

Makhai didn't look too happy about it either, the dancing flames casting shadows over his face. Though it was Kratos that spoke.

"She's as good as gone," he stated boldly, shaking his head in distain, "We need to depart before that beast devours us too."

Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing, their solemn faces staring back at him. Were they all just going to give up so easily? Well he wouldn't. He couldn't just leave Alala, his friend, his comrade. The only one to comfort him on his first night of the camp. They had spent too much time trying to defeat this beast who had taken away countless worlds, he wasn't let it get away with it, especially after eating his friend!

"Fine, you go if you want to," he growled back, "I'm going to get Alala out."

"You're a fool!" Deimos spat, his dark eyes wide and frantic, "Without the sun we will perish within minutes! We may be dead and immune to most climates, but this isn't one of them!"

The young boy gulped, his eyes hardening, "I have to try."

"Try all you want, it's no use!" Kratos roared, "Alala is gone. The best we can do is ask Master Whis to bring us back to Lord Beerus' world before we all cease to exist! We will take solace in the hopes that we can bring that best to justice before it destroys any more suns! Where I come from, to retreat and regroup is the best course of action in defeating a powerful enemy, before anyone else gets slain."

"Alala is still in there," Gohan glowered, his hands balling up into fists as a ripple of electricity rippled across his torso, "I can sense her energy, and where _I_ come from, we don't leave anyone behind. No matter what the cost."

With that, the halfling kicked off from the ground, ignoring the irate shouts behind him. The air was unbearably cold, freezing Gohan's insides down to the bone. He didn't really have a plan of sorts, he just knew he had to get to Alala, her Ki was weakened but it was most certainly still there. The creature had a weak point, he knew that, they had managed to penetrate it's solid scales and as a result there was a gaping hole in it's chest. Still, there was a matter of getting past it's tentacles and dodging it's acidic saliva. He swallowed dryly, he prayed that Alala hadn't been too hurt by it's deadly insides.

But how could he get her out? The hole they had made on the outside was too small, and by now the girl would surely be making her way through it's intestines. If only he could make a bigger exit! The monster roared again, its enormous mouth spitting and snapping at the air, the light from the fires dancing in it's dark eyes. It seemed enchanted, memorised by the light -

And it was then did Gohan get a very brave, and very stupid idea.

He stopped suddenly in the air, gathering a small ball of Ki in his palm and firing towards it's gigantic pupil, making a direct hit.

The beast squealed in agony, breaking out of it's trance and rounding on the half-saiyan who stood strong on the ground in front of it. Gohan let an almighty bellow escape his chest, ignoring the icy chill from the roaring winds he created as he pulled every part of his energy to the surface. His emerald eyes grew darker, as his blonde hair spiked further atop of his head, leaving a stubborn bang wavering over his forehead. He growled menacingly, his golden aura gathering around him as his power surged, building and building so that he now resembled a shining golden beacon in amongst the desolate wasteland. The fires blew out, the air from the sunless sky growing ever colder. Icicles began to form on cliff faces and rocks as the dusty ground hardened with frost.

"GOHAN!" He heard Makhai yell from somewhere in the distance, "WHAT THE BLEEDING HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Though the young boy ignored him, his blazing aura growing ever bigger and brighter, electricity sparking and crackling in amongst the dancing flames that encompassed his body. The amount of light he was emitting seemed to enchant the beast, who slithered towards him at a surprisingly quick speed. He could hear the shouts of the other recruits as the monster towered above him, and opened it's mouth, exposing the great gaping maw of teeth drenched in sizzling acid that caused the rows and rows of gums to smoke and sizzle. The heat radiating from the monster was suffocating, though the pre-teen grinned wickedly through the humid air.

"You seem pretty tough to be able to swallow whole suns," said Gohan, still grinning, "Let's see if you can handle a super saiyan."

If his heart was any use at all, he was certain it would be pounding by now. Though the halfling stood strong, allowing the beast to come forth. The other recruits then watched, with horror, as the youngest recruit disappeared into the monster's mouth, swallowing him hole in the same way it had taken Alala.

"No Gohan!" Makhai yelled desperately, starting forwards until he was forcibly pulled back by a raging Kratos.

"You're not going after him!" the older teenager snarled, as Bia screamed after the young boy, "I won't have any more of you idiots die on my watch!"

"Get off him!" Eris spat, prying his strong hands off the red head though keeping hold of him herself, "Let's go Makhai, there's nothing we can do. Maybe Master Whis-"

"Master Whis is going to be _so_ disappointed in us," sighed Deimos, "Either way, we should get going before we cease to exist."

"Poor Gohan, poor Alala," Bia sniffed, "We should have stopped them."

Kratos said nothing, though his eyes averted momentarily towards the seemingly indestructible monster. Makhai's shoulders visibly slumped, tears welling in his eyes.

"It was their own fault," Deimos said snidely, "This would never have happened if one of us just took charge. Working together? Ha! I've never heard of anything so ridiculous in all of my afterlife-!"

His rant was cut short, however, by a soft golden glow that seemed to be emitting from the literal belly of the beast. The ball of light started off small, then it started to grow and grow, getting bigger, stronger, brighter with every passing second. The beast made a startled noise, it's bulbous head darting around in confusion, it's eyes widening in sheer horror as it glanced at it's rapidly expanding, golden belly.

"Er, are you lot seeing what I'm seeing?" Makhai asked meekly, the sound of energy charging ringing in their ears.

**KA-BOOM!**

The inter-dimensional monster exploded in a shower of brilliant light and fragments of jelly-like flesh. Copious amounts of acid rained upon them like a downpour in a thunderstorm. Deimos immediately mustered a force field, protecting them from the flesh-burning liquid. But as they looked across the wasteland, their eyes widened in disbelief and amazement.

For there, amongst the smoking pile of remains of the beast, was Gohan. His hair was still ablaze with gold, his aura pulsating around his body in refreshing waves of light in the darkness. He looked a little worse for wear, what with his skin red and sizzled in places and his tracksuit trousers burnt to tatters. But he was still standing. Standing with his stance strong as he held a similarly burnt and frazzled Alala protectively in his arms. She was still breathing, thank goodness, although her violet skin was red raw and her tracksuit barely covered the rest of her body.

Gohan breathed a sigh of relief, giving the flabbergasted group in the shield a goofy smile before his golden hair reverted back to black and his onyx eyes rolled to the back of his head. He felt his body hit the icy ground, the weight of Alala firmly on top of him as Makhai's voice cut through the air. He had no idea what he had said, though in his semi-conscious state it sounded like a very rude word. Though Gohan didn't have time to contemplate any longer, as he allowed himself to fall into nothingness.

* * *

"…stupid brat nearly got us all killed."

"Yeah right... saved us all!"

"...bit of an exaggeration."

"You're just jealous ... didn't think of it first Deimos-"

"Like I'd be ... stupid half-breed!"

"- I mean, what nutter thinks of that? Oh hang on a tick, I'll just jump into the gaping mouth of an inter-dimensional beast with a thousand teeth to save my mate and kill the thing from the inside!"

The first thing that Gohan noticed, was that there was a lot of voices surrounding him. The second, was that he was lying on something very comfortable, something very comfortable that he had grown all too familiar with in the last few weeks, months or however long he had been here. But why were they all here in his sleeping quarters? Surrounding his bed? The last thing he remembered was battling that immensely powerful inter-dimensional beast, falling into the endless abyss of teeth and then -

He gasped, jolting upright immediately and snapping open his eyes, coming to rest on a pair of smiling golden eyes.

"Morning Hero! How you feeling?" Makhai jested, causing the young saiyan to recoil away from him in shock.

"Argh!" He yelped, "Do you have to sit so close?!"

"Charming that," the older boy scoffed, leaning back on the chair closed to his bedside, "And I've been by your side ever since you got yourself out of that beast. Holding your hand, stroking your hair, whispering sweet nothings in your ear…"

"He hasn't stopped sobbing since we got you back here," said Eris, who was standing next to him, "It was rather pathetic actually."

"Your just jealous of the manly bond we share," Makhai huffed.

"Hardly," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Where's Alala, is she alright?" Gohan asked, cutting across them.

"She's just fine, thanks to you," came a voice, and the young saiyan was relieved to find that the girl in question was sat at the foot of his bed, a beaming smile upon her face, and fully healed.

He smiled back, glad to see that they had all made it off that desolate planet in one piece. They were all there, Bia was stood next to Alala, an affectionate hand resting upon her shoulder, whilst Deimos and Kratos stood a ways off, the latter staring out of the enormous window with an unreadable expression upon his features. Gohan looked down, realising he was wearing his shiny golden pyjama's, and he was free of burns and crimson dirt.

"It's lucky that your head is so thick-skulled, else you wouldn't have survived that," Deimos sneered, though there was a spark of amusement hidden deep within his eyes.

"Um thanks?" mustered Gohan, causing the other recruits to laugh.

"Crazy stunt you pulled there," said Makhai, shaking his head, "mind telling us just where all that power is hiding in such a tiny-"

"Now now, thanks enough interrogation don't you think?"

The recruits turned, surprised to see that their mentor had suddenly appeared in the centre of the boys sleeping chamber.

"Master Whis?" the young halfling blinked, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to congratulate you on your victory," said Whis, his lips quirked into a smile, "I must say I was pleasantly surprised that you all survived when I came to retrieve you, not to mention having taken care of the Supreme Kai's problem so quickly. He is most delighted. Though you managed to get yourself into a bit of a mess didn't you Gohan? You certainly know how to keep things interesting."

"Well, I couldn't just leave Alala there," he mustered, blushing bright crimson.

"And do you think I would have too?" he asked, causing the recruits to gape.

"W-what?"

"My dear boy, I was watching the whole time," said Whis, "I wouldn't leave any of my recruits to perish at such a crucial time. A new God of Destruction needs to be selected after all, and with less recruits it means less chance of finding one now doesn't it?"

The young saiyan couldn't believe his ears, although it made complete sense. Whis really wasn't going to leave them to be wiped from existence! Well now he just felt silly.

"That being said," the deity continued, "The dedication you showed to your comrade today was exemplary, not to mention the boldness and bravery you showed when standing up to your peers."

He didn't think his face could get any redder, when Whis turned to the other recruits, "And I do believe that you've all learned an important lesson from this task. For the power of one, if fearless and focussed is formidable, though the power of working together is far greater. Congratulations to all of you."

"Thank you Master," they chorused, bowing their heads in respect.

Whis smiled, "Now I will need all of you to work together to make sure that our youngest recruit stays on bed rest for the foreseeable future."

"W-what?!" Gohan gaped, "But why?! I need to train! I need to get stronger!"

"Your enthusiasm is commendable Gohan," said the Angel with a sigh, "But rest is just as important as training."

Something sang within his memories, it was the same words his father had used before The Cell Games. At a time when Gohan had wondered why his father seemed so calm, when the world was falling apart, counting down the days to their inevitable doom. How could his father be so care free at a time like this? Did he have a secret weapon or something? But of course, there was a weapon. Gohan himself.

He gulped, as Whis' calculated gaze surveyed him. Did he know? Was he reading his mind?

"Yeah I need a rest after all that," said Makhai, shaking him out of his thoughts, "You nearly gave me a heart attack mate."

"You can't have a heart attack if your dead, stupid," said Eris.

"Then why do your words hurt so much?" he weeped mockingly, clutching a hand to his chest.

"Either way, a couple of days rest would be good for you Gohan," said Whis knowingly, "A Saiyan gets stronger when they come back from the brink of death after all."

"What?!" Deimos gaped, "How is that even fair?"

"Can that work still if I'm already dead?" asked the halfling, cutting across him.

"Nothing is impossible," the blue-skinned deity replied happily, "Come now everyone, Lord Beerus' sheets won't change themselves now will they?"

"Pretty sure you've got the power to just make them do that if you wanted them to," Makhai drawled, ruffling Gohan's hair playfully before begrudgingly following the others back down the spiral staircase.

He sighed, it was nightfall already, and he turned his head to gaze out the window at the twinkling stars, jumping when he realised that he was not alone.

"Kratos?" he mustered tentatively, realising that the older boy had been staring at him for quite some time.

The ancient warrior sighed, his muscular arms folded across his chest as he stepped away from the window. The young saiyan stared back, the boys expression still unreadable. They were silent for a while, making Gohan feel uneasy, when finally he said -

"I was wrong."

"Huh?"

"I was wrong," repeated Kratos, "About you."

"Y-you were?" he blinked disbelievingly.

"What you did out there today was… noble," he said slowly, "And even though I still believe you are too young and inexperienced to be here… you're not entirely useless."

"Er, thank you?"

"Don't mention it," Kratos shrugged, taking long strides towards the staircase before he stopped, his eyes hardening at Gohan, "Seriously, don't mention it, or else I'll think twice about saving your backside should you decide to act so valiantly on another mission. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Gohan gulped, watching as he disappeared beyond the staircase.

He sighed as soon as his footsteps retreated, flopping himself down on the fluffy pillows and breathing deeply, his body finally relaxing into the mattress.

Rest was good after all, Gohan was a boy who certainly enjoyed his sleep. He knew his body must heal fully before he began training again for want of him not injuring himself, though he wasn't certain just how durable he was now he was dead. He wasn't stupid after all, it was obvious that Whis had someway to heal him, and had done so partly, so that it allowed for his stamina and strength to heal naturally. Whether it be for a biological reason or for him to just learn a lesson, he wasn't sure, Whis was a complicated character after all. Whichever way it was, it was certainly boring. He didn't want to be stuck in his sleeping chambers for the next few days when he had been spending all of his time here pushing his body and brain to the limits.

He sighed again, the pile of unread books on his bedside cabinet taunting him. He did have a lot to get through still after all, the other recruits were way ahead of him in terms of book smarts, which had been an unusual notion to grasp for a boy genius such as Gohan. Making his decision, the halfling sat up, grabbing the top one off the pile and bringing it into bed with him, lying on his side as he inspected it, the soft glow from the stars illuminating the engraving on the leather bound cover.

_The Hero, Perses_

He frowned, it was the very book that Makhai had given him on his first day at the camp. One of which he had never read, though Alala had apparently said was interesting. It wasn't required reading, though seemed like a good read to indulge himself in after an epic battle. He could worry about the required texts later, he was a fast reader after all. It wasn't a huge book by any means, so shouldn't take him more than a couple of hours. Then he could get onto the hard stuff.

Settling himself down comfortably, the young saiyan flipped the cover. It was an ancient text in every meaning of the word, the pages worn, yellow and faded and the leather binding smooth and fraying. The words were handwritten in ink, with neat loops and swirls joining up the lettering. As his onyx eyes scanned the first paragraph, a bubble of excitement grew in his chest. It was a fantasy it seemed, about an old war hero. Gohan _loved_ reading about war heroes.

 _Three-hundred and twenty-one years before age, a boy was born on an ancient planet that has long since been lost to time. Though this story begins some years before that, when a lonely Kai of Supreme divinity stumbled across the galaxy it resided in. A humble planet to the outside galaxies, though housed some of the most powerful warriors the universe has ever seen. The Kai, of benevolent beauty and wisdom fell in love with an accomplished fighter with an extraordinary heart. And it wasn't long before their love created a new life, in the form of a baby boy._ _The boy, who they named Perses, was said to be the strongest of them all._

_Bound to duty beyond her control, the Kai had no choice but to leave her love and son in the realm of the living, whilst she returned to her sacred realm. The laws of the divine did not permit her to see them again, but despite this, her son prospered._

_Half mortal, half God, the boy was baptised in the fire of combat from an early age. Taught never to retreat, never to surrender and told that death on the battle field was the greatest glory that he could achieve in his life. The traditions of thousands of years of warrior society fled through his veins, the beating hearts of his ancestors pounded in his ears as he faced battle after epic battle. He bore everything his father had taught him like a shield, that protected him in times of turmoil, for which he would always overcome. The warriors of his planet looked towards him to lead the next generation of soldiers, he was their light, their beacon of hope and posterity._

_Though Perses did not truly know what he was, for want of his father trying to protect him. He did not wish the boy to harbour bad feelings towards the mother that left him, nor to the Gods that had created the universe. Instead, Perses was told that his mother was an incredible warrior who had perished in an epic battle weeks after his birth. And so Perses did not know or understand his power fully. He and his comrades were aware that he had an enormous amount of hidden potential, that would appear in great times of danger or rage. It would come in fleeting, short waves of unbelievable intensity, but would always vanish with the moment._

_Perses would not understand the true extent of his potential until he was twenty-one years old, when his race were caught up in a great war on a galactic scale. It has been said that it was the greatest war the universe has ever seen, though Perses, valiant and strong, the hero of his planet led his planet to glory. However, he was still but a boy, young and inexperienced, the heights of the power he had achieved causing him to become cocky and reckless. He became negligent of the task at hand, and his father, whom he had loved and looked up to all of his life, was slaughtered by the enemy._

_Blaming himself and overcome by grief and anger, Perses' power erupted, overwhelming the enemy and destroying the fiends responsible for starting the great war. Unfortunately, the young man's influx of energy was too great, and his comrades, bruised and wounded from battle were unable to stop him from destroying himself. Perses was destroyed by his own power, the very same power that he believed he could have used to stop the enemy from killing his father._

_Though Perses' journey was not over, and instead of passing on to The Otherworld, he was selected by an Angel to become the next God of Destruction. The Angel had been watching Perses for quite some time, and grew interested in the young man's incredible hidden strengths. Perses accepted to become the current destroyer's successor without a moments hesitation, wanting to make a difference to the universe and make up for the mistakes he had made in his life._ _As the years flew by, Perses power grew. He harnessed the energy of destruction, along with obtaining Ki so great that he was almost able to rival the God of Destruction himself. Through this power, he had achieved greatness as a junior destroyer, and was on the path to becoming a righteous and benevolent God._

 _However, one night, a prophecy came to light from the Oracle of the divine world. Something sparked within Perses, an obsession so great that it started to warp his mind. He became weary of mortals and their flaws, he developed the belief that the Gods should be doing more to wipe the stain of life from the universe._ _The Angel grew concerned, and confronted him. He told him of his true parentage in the hopes that it would help Perses to understand that Gods and mortals could live in harmony, and that neither were of greater value than the other. Unfortunately, Perses did not take lightly to the revelation, and it drove him mad. He had completely lost sight of the hero he once was, and, believing that the universe was corrupt and unjust, attempted to destroy it, in order to rebuild._

_Knowing what he truly was, he created a monster than began to lay waste to the universe, causing chaos throughout the cosmos. Though the Angel did not know of his plans, having had grown fond of the young man over the years, blinded by the love he felt as though he was his own son, unable to accept that he had noticed the darkness building in his heart._

_Imbedded in lies and deception, Perses read the great texts of history, gaining in-depth knowledge of divine and mortal ways to take over the universe. In it, he found the legend of an ancient sword, a sword of immeasurable power that with it, he would no doubt become unstoppable. Perses felt betrayed that the Angel had not mentioned to him, and came to the realisation that his mentor had become suspicious of the young destroyer in traning. The sword harboured a secret that Perses knew if it fell into any other hands but his own would surely put an end to him and his plans, just like the prophecy had foretold. For you see, the secret of the sword was -_

The page had been ripped out.

Gohan blinked, flicking through the rest of the pages that didn't seem to have any more of the story to it. Just bits and pieces of old heroic feats that this Perses had achieved before he had seemingly died. He sighed, tossing the book towards the end of the bed. What a waste of time, and the story was just getting good!

He had an odd feeling about it though, this Perses person seemed very similar to himself. The fact that he had tremendous hidden strength that had inadvertently gotten his father killed, not to mention that he was spirited away to become the next God of Destruction instead of passing onto Otherworld, he was even a half-breed for goodness sake! Gohan felt a shiver run down his spine, it was stupid. It was only a story after all. Maybe he just felt a little weird because he had been eaten by a giant inter-dimensional monster only a few hours prior.

Something tingled in the back of his senses, and soon enough did the sound of small footsteps reach his ears. He smiled as Alala's dark hair appeared at the top of the staircase, she grinned back as she approached, an enormous tray of food in her hands.

"I thought you might be hungry," the assassin winked, gliding over to him, "And I'm not going to get in Whis' bad books for not making sure you're fed."

Gohan's stomach growled loudly, causing the two youngsters to laugh.

Her smile widened as she sat herself down on the edge of the bed, watching him devouring everything without a moments hesitation.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to how much you eat," she chuckled, as he forced a whole hunk of meat down his throat whole.

"I always get super hungry after a fight," he replied with a loud belch, swallowing his mouthful, "Whoops, sorry."

Alala waved him off, though her nose was wrinkled slightly in distaste, "So how are you holding up here by yourself? You bored yet?"

"I was," said Gohan, wiping his sticky mouth with the napkin on the tray, "I was reading that storybook you gave to Makhai, but the rest of the pages were ripped out."

"Storybook?" she frowned, confused.

"Yeah, that one over there," he said, pointing to the thick binder at the foot of his bed.

Alala grabbed it, her eyes widening slightly, "Yeah Gohan, this isn't a storybook."

"It's not?"

"No, it's real."

The young saiyan nearly choked on his next mouthful, "R-real?!"

"Of course it is," she sighed, "though I suppose you wouldn't know being a newbie. It's a history book written by Master Zuno."

"Who's Master Zuno?" he asked, come to think of it he hadn't noticed an author.

"To be honest, no one is certain who he is or where he came from," Alala explained sheepishly, "Though he knows everything about everyone in our universe and all that has ever happened. Because of this, he demands the upmost respect, he could tell you things about yourself that even you didn't know."

Gohan's eyes widened, "Have you ever met him?"

"No," she replied, "Though I know a few spirits that have. Some go looking for answers from him, but there are some things just not worth knowing. He and his attendants write a lot of the texts we read for our training, including history books about past heroes and deities. I don't know whether they've been ordered to do it by any other higher power, or if they just do it as a hobby. All I know is that one day my name will be there, displayed in the library of heroes and Gods. Who knows, after what you did today they might write a book about you too!"

"Oh I don't know about that," he said, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks before a thought popped into his mind, "So if this story about Perses is true, then what happened?"

"I'm not sure," Alala sighed, "someone had already ripped out the pages by the time I came across it."

"But who would do that?"

"I have my suspicions," she said thoughtfully, "Though I haven't mentioned it to anyone, I didn't want to be blasphemous after all. I tried to tell Makhai about it, but you know what he's like, I bet he hasn't even read the damn book!"

Gohan said nothing, he didn't want Makhai to get into trouble.

"I've managed to do a bit more research about this Perses," she continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Apparently this bloke was unbelievably strong, almost as strong as Lord Beerus!"

"W-what?" he blinked, "So you're saying that the God of Destruction he was succeeding was supposed to be Lord Beerus?"

"Well duh!" Alala exclaimed, "Master Zuno only writes about things that happened in universe seven, because that's what he knows! Destroyer Gods live for billions of years, and Angels have been around since the dawn of existence! Why do you think Whis is in such a big rush to find the next God of Destruction? Do you really think after _that_ many years of practice he'd leave it until the last minute? No, it's because there _was_ a candidate, long before us, that turned into a complete nutcase because of some prophecy that predicted his destruction!"

"That's mental!" Gohan gasped, reeling from shock over the revelation, "But Perses isn't around now, I wonder what happened to him?"

"My only guess is that Lord Beerus destroyed him before he completely wrecked the universe," said Alala, "But if what the book says if true and Whis loved Perses like a son, it must have been a difficult decision to make. Angels aren't usually capable of mortal emotion, they don't procreate or have any desire to do such things. Angels have a duty to train their appointed God, serve them and await the next. It's unusual for a deity like Whis to harbour those feelings. That's why I think Whis was the one to rip the rest of the pages out."

"Even so, poor Whis," the pre-teen said dejectedly, his mind whirring. Just because someone wasn't deemed capable of love didn't mean that it didn't happen. Look at Piccolo for example, he was his father's greatest enemy, the reincarnation of a Demon King who had once laid waste to the entire planet. But because of Gohan he had changed, he had loved the young boy like a son and had even sacrificed himself for him.

His breath caught in his throat, would Piccolo still see him as a son despite the path he had chosen?

"Thinking of home again?" Alala asked, jumping him out of his thoughts.

"Am I really that obvious?" he sighed guilty, as the girl gave him a knowing smile.

"Perhaps," she shrugged, "Bia was right in saying that you wear your emotions on your sleeve."

"Yeah, sorry," said Gohan, "I need to work on that."

"Nah," said Alala with a reassuring wink, "Let them think what they want. I don't think it's such a bad thing. After all, it's what makes you _you_ , Hero."

He flung his pillow at her, hitting her square in the face. They laughed heartily, the aftermath of battle and troubles of the Gods melted into the back of their minds as their pillow fight continued into the night.

Or at least until Deimos kicked them out anyway.

* * *

_Originally Posted on 10th June, 2018._


	6. The Z-Sword

Gohan couldn't sleep. It had been the fourth sleepless night he had had ever since he had read about the supposed hero Perses, and yet despite being back to training as normal and being exhausted twenty-four seven, he just couldn't seem to switch off his brain.

Whis had been right in the fact that rest would do him some good, and the young saiyan had never felt so strong. He was certainly more powerful than before he had died, and there was a part of him that could feel another level of strength deep within him, just begging to be unleashed. Though at this rate, with the amount of sleep he was sorely lacking, he wasn't going to reach the next level any time soon.

He sighed begrudgingly, kicking off his blankets, pulling on his trainers and exiting the boys sleeping quarters without another moments hesitation. Makhai's snores followed him all the way to the common room, which to his disappointment was empty. Recently when he couldn't sleep, he would come down to find Alala still awake, and the pair of them would spend hours discussing the mysterious Perses and make up elaborate stories as to how he could have met his end.

Yet despite the funny jests they had, something about the old junior destroyer had irked him. How could someone just disappear out of the history books like that? More importantly, why would someone want to cover it up? Even though it must have been hard for Whis, he didn't think that he was the type of person to cover his tracks. The Angel didn't seem to have a deceitful bone in his body, and was always harping on about how 'one learns best from their mistakes'. So why would he erase one of his own? It's not like it was Whis' fault that Perses had gone rogue from what he could tell. He just wished that he knew what had happened in the rest of the book.

Gohan sighed again, it was all his mother's fault. The ox-princess had always taught him to strive for knowledge, and that value, coupled with the halfling's ever growing curiosity had ingrained itself so deeply within him that it really bothered him when he didn't know something. It was like he was missing part of a puzzle. Alala had made a joke about him being obsessed with the history of Perses, and had rightly pointed out that it didn't matter. Perses was gone and _they_ were the next candidates in line to become the God of Destruction. But for some reason, that just wasn't enough closure for Gohan.

Without paying too much attention to where he was going, the young saiyan headed out of the common room and down the cavernous corridors. Before he knew it, he was walking around the ancient courtyard, the light from the sparkling galaxies above illuminating the stone pathways in a soft silvery glow. Mind whirring, his thoughts carried him deeper into the maze of bushes, that became wilder and less maintained as he went. Deep red roses protruded from the greenery, their sharp thorns lining the path that was steadily becoming overgrown with weeds and broken pieces of rotten bark.

Gohan looked up finally, realising that he had been walking for quite some time, and wasn't entirely certain just where he was. He had never ventured this far into the ancient gardens, as he had never felt the urge to do so. Though something told him to keep going, and he relented, his eyes squinting though the darkness. At last, the path came to a head, and the young saiyan was forced to stop due to something blocking his way. His vision settled on another statue, though he hadn't seen any more on his journey through the overgrowth save for the ones back at the entrance to the camp.

He frowned, realising that the stone depiction was broken and laden with cobwebs. It certainly hadn't been as well kept as the others. Though despite it's sorry state, Gohan could make out the figure of a young man, humanoid and tall with lean muscles. His stone hair was straight and long, falling to his waist, pulled back by a cloth band that rested on his forehead. The statue had handsome features, and a cheeky grin so wide that it was a wonder it didn't split the stone in two. The statue's arms rested by his side in a strong stance, and he was wearing a ceremonial garb not too dissimilar form Lord Beerus'.

And as the light from the twinkling stars shone, Gohan's eyes widened, the plaque at the statue's feet becoming all too clear.

_Perses_

_321 B.A -_

Why was Perses' statue all the way out here? He thought, frowning. Someone was definitely hiding something. And furthermore, why did the statue have a birth date and no date of death?

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Gohan yelped at the sudden voice, whirling around so fast that he toppled over a fallen tree behind him. He crashed unceremoniously onto his backside, wincing as he did so, before his eyes found the source of the voice.

"Looks like I predicted right," the blue fish giggled, "The new recruit is certainly clumsy, then again, I'm never wrong."

"I'm not clumsy!" He protested, clambering quickly to his feet and narrowing his eyes at the strange creature, "You just startled me was all, you shouldn't sneak up on people, it's rude you know."

"Didn't your father teach you that you should always be aware of your surroundings?" she mused knowingly.

"H-how did you-?" Gohan gaped, finally taking note of the little blue fish who was half hanging out of a familiar looking fish bowl, her little fins resting upon the edge. The whole thing was suspended in midair by a golden staff that allowed her to hover closer towards him.

There was no denying that he was all too familiar with that fish bowl, he and Makhai had spent way too many hours cleaning them out when Kratos had gotten fed up with their jokes and ordered them on maid duty. The pre-teen was finally able to close his mouth as he spoke, "Y-you're the Oracle Fish?"

"Hm," the oracle observed, "You're not as primitive as you look, Saiyan."

"What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked, he had never seen the mysterious Seer before, even though he knew that she resided on Lord Beerus' planet.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, recruit?" she said, eyeing him, "Although I already know the reason why. You can't sleep, and you are troubled. I only came out here to tell you to shut up because your thoughts were so loud that they disturbed my own slumber."

"Oh," Gohan mustered sheepishly, "Sorry."

"Fear not young one," she sighed, waving a fin in the air, "It's not like I haven't been in this situation before. Often I find deities or Gods to be wondering around the sacred garden of souls forgotten, many harbour great burdens or struggle to come to terms with their destiny. It has been many years since anyone has ventured this far though, you must have a lot on your mind."

The young saiyan sighed for a moment, the great statue of Perses encompassing his own shadow. "Can you tell me more about Perses?" he asked, inclining his head to the stone depiction, "I found a book about him, one that Master Zuno wrote. But half of the pages were missing."

"You're a curious one," said the oracle fish, "Why do you want to know of a God in training that was long before your time?"

"I'm just curious is all," Gohan shrugged, "And I find it odd that Whis hasn't mentioned him, yet according to the book he thought of Perses as a son."

"It is not wise to make assumptions of that which you are not certain of," she spoke firmly, "But know this young saiyan, some things are not spoken of in order to protect, not harm. You should not take Whis' reluctance as a sign of mistrust. Though for someone that was killed by a product of revenge, deception and evil, I can see why you think that."

The pre-teen let her words sink in carefully, "It's not that I think Whis is untrustworthy, far from it. I just want to know what happened is all, and why someone would want to cover it up."

"We all have a past we wish we could hide Son Gohan, even the Gods," the Seer replied, watching him thoughtfully, "I see that you have already compared yourself to Perses, it is only natural, considering how similar your backstories are."

Gohan's shoulders slumped, the oracle fish could see right through him, like most people. He needed to get better at hiding his feelings, even though Alala had said it was a good thing. Still, he didn't like it that people were able to read his mind so easily.

Sitting on the tree trunk with his chin in his hands, the Seer surveyed him, before she stated, "Perses was mad Gohan."

He looked up, listening intently as the little blue fish sighed, hovering towards him, "I'm afraid to say that what you saw in that book was true. In the beginning, Perses was one of the greatest men I ever knew. He was a clever young man, and saved the universe from imbalance on numerous occasions. Whis had formed a strong bond with him, Lord Beerus too, and Perses treated Whis as the father he had lost due to his negligence long ago. But despite these loving relationships he had found in this realm, he could not ignore the grief that still plagued his heart. Slowly, that grief turned into something darker, something all-consuming. Whis had noticed, of course, but how could he deny Perses the greatness of becoming the next God of Destruction like he had promised? The boy who he had nurtured and trained over a few centuries, treated like his own kin? But alas as the years crept by, so did Perses hatred for the way the universe worked. As Gods, he felt as though they were superior to mortals, and should be able to punish them accordingly when wars struck up all over the galaxies. Why should there be so much destruction? When Perses had the power to purge them all and start anew?"

Gohan could hardly believe his ears, "B-but that's crazy! He had no right to-!"

"Exactly Gohan," said the oracle, "It is not within a Gods jurisdiction to do such a thing. But Perses wasn't satisfied with this, and from there festered a hatred for the Gods themselves, only made worse when he found out that he was half Kai, and that his mother, the Supreme Kai of the Western province had abandoned both him and his father."

"So Gods aren't meant to have kids with mortals?" he asked, frowning, causing the fish to scoff.

"Of course not! Are you crazy?" she tutted, "How do you think Perses became so powerful? It's dangerous and can cause such a mess. The rules are even stricter now what with everything that went on, but I digress. Perses felt such anger towards the Gods, but relished in the knowledge that not only had he mastered the energy of destruction, he was also capable of creation because of his bloodline."

"Perses created a creature so foul, so inhumane that even The Supreme Kai today fears to utter it's name," she said solemnly, as the cogs in Gohan's head clicked into space.

"Makhai mentioned that there's only one Supreme Kai and his attendant left in our universe now," he said in realisation, "He said that a monster wiped the rest out, surely you're not saying-"

"That's correct young one," the oracle fish sighed solemnly, "Perses set the creature upon the Kai's, wiping all of them out except the East Kai who managed to escape. Perses slaughtered his own mother without a second thought."

"He sounds like the monster," said Gohan.

"Indeed," she replied, "Though Perses had become a master of deception at this time, so Whis and Lord Beerus had no idea that it was him who had unleashed the beast upon the universe. Perses recruited an evil wizard do his dirty work for him, controlling that _beast_ so that he didn't have to, and everyone was none the wiser."

"But they found out right?"

"Of course," said the Seer, "Eventually. For you see, there was a prohecy, a prohecy that I foretold. It predicted Perses' downfall by a mortal warrior, who could rival him. We are not permitted to reveal the future to mortals unless they had achieved full divinity, but Perses was so charming, so quietly unassuming that when he asked me what his future was I did not deny him. Unfortunately this fuelled Perses' hatred towards mortals even more, for no mortal power should be able to rival a Gods in his opinion. He chose not to heed my warning should he continue down this path of loathing, and instead set his zero mortals plan into motion."

"Zero mortals?" Gohan gasped, "Was he scared that much of the prophecy coming true?"

"Oh yes," she nodded, "and he was blinded by his goal of ending all mortal life, as well as this, he wanted to destroy the Gods so that only he remained. Whis and Lord Beerus soon found out about his plan, though he managed to slaughter thousands before they were able to stop him. For you see, the worrying thing was that he had grown almost as strong as Lord Beerus himself."

"So how did they stop him?" he asked, hanging onto every word.

"It wasn't easy," the oracle sighed, "Mostly due to the fact he had fled Lord Beerus' planet and was capable of inter-universal travel. Not only was he a threat to this universe, he was a threat to everything that had ever existed. Though Perses began to grow weak, mentally I mean. He had heard of the ancient sword of legend that resided in this universe, and he believed it to be the only thing that would help him take down the Gods and rule over the multiverse once and for all."

"I read about that sword," said Gohan, "The pages were ripped out before the secret of the sword was explained!"

"Not surprising," she observed, "The secret of the Z-Sword is not to be taken lightly. I have no doubt that it was taken out before any other destroyer in training sort it before their time, it would be unwise to allow it to fall into the wrong hands."

"But what does it do?" he frowned, "Is it really that powerful?"

The blue fish sighed, glancing around her, "Without giving too much away, the Z-Sword is a very powerful object, a weapon of the Gods. It is said that the one who is able to wield it has access to the greatest power in the universe, the two become one weapon, capable of cutting down the tightest of foes."

"Woah, wicked," the pre-teen gaped in awe.

"As soon as Perses entered universe seven in search of the Z-Sword were they upon him, and Lord Beerus finally defeated Perses in an epic battle that literally rocked the cosmos, it was lucky that he couldn't even make the sword move an inch in it's prison, or things would have ended very badly," the Seer told him. "They were worried that he may kill the last remaining Supreme Kai, for the Kai's and Destroyers are life linked. If one dies, so will the other."

"I-I didn't know that," said Gohan, enthralled by the revelation, "But despite everything he'd done, it must have been hard for Whis and Lord Beerus to kill Perses."

"Kill him?" the fish scoffed disbelievingly, "Perses is not dead Gohan, did you notice that his date of death is not etched in stone?!"

"Well I did," he blinked, "But I just thought that no one would have bothered to commemorate someone who nearly wiped out the universe. You're telling me he's still alive?!"

"Barely," she snorted, "Though if he were dead then his death date would automatically appear upon the statue. He may not have been an official God of Destruction, but he was as good as. Which is why he is remembered in stone, and these statues cannot be destroyed."

"So where is he now?" asked the young saiyan, his eyes glancing towards the statue of the wayward deity.

"The Void," said the Seer, a dark look in her eyes, "a realm of it's own creation, no one knows where it ends or where it begins, only that it is devoid of any life. It's so dark that no light can penetrate through it. Nothing can escape, and it is unusual for anything to live within it, Perses is so strong that not even The Void can kill him instantly. He has been trapped for over a thousand years, and yet he still lives."

"So Lord Beerus couldn't kill him?" he gaped.

The oracle fish shrugged, "It's not easy to kill a God Gohan, especially one of destruction."

"Don't worry," she continued, catching onto the worried look on his face, "It's impossible for Perses to escape The Void."

The oracle studied him further, as the halfling became lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't expecting the story to have been so downtrodden, and the fact that Perses was out there somewhere didn't sit right with him at all. Something else was bugging him though, something that the ever perceptive fish caught onto right away.

"Are you worried that if you continue down this path that you will end up like Perses?"

His eyes widened, her stare was penetrating as he swallowed thickly.

"It's just hard to imagine what I'll become," he sighed finally, "I've always had my father and Piccolo to guide me, and now-"

"You're not alone dear boy," she said wisely, "Even though it might feel that way sometimes. The values your family and friends have instilled within you will stay with you forever, if you let them. Here, in this world, you are bound to duty but can create your own path, enjoy yourself, make friends, get stronger."

The blue fish sighed, casting her gaze over to the broken statue of Perses, it's shadow had moved, thanks to the circling planet, bathing them both in a silver glow, "The most important thing to remember Gohan, is to never loose sight of yourself."

* * *

**Planet Sagor, The Galaxy of Lost Souls, Age 770 - Three years after The Cell Games**

"I really don't know how I ended up in this situation if I'm quite honest with you," An adolescent voice rang out over the cave.

The cave ran deep underneath a dying world, a world that was ravaged by fire. Dying embers provided the only light within the darkness, casting eerie shadows through the humid smoke that filled the rocky cavern. It wasn't a planet that one would choose to visit, and why should they? It seemingly had no life upon it. Well, apart from one teenage hybrid, who was currently suspended in midair by a cage that protruded from the rock in the ceiling. He was wrapped in chunky metal chains, made of the hardest metal in the universe, katchin. Supposedly impossible to break out of.

Though the teenager did not look scared, or worried. No, he blew his ebony hair out of his face in a bored manner, the spikey mane now reaching his shoulders. The blue tracksuit he was wearing was dirt laden and tattered, though he looked otherwise unharmed. Well, apart from the fact that he was dead, the shining halo bouncing above his head too obvious to miss.

"Though I suppose sometimes you've got to get captured if you want a straight answer off of someone," He sighed, his onyx eyes beholding the skeleton in front of him, "So what about you? What's your story?"

The dusty skeleton lay motionless, as the embers crackled in the distance.

"Well I won't bore you with mine," said Gohan, folding his arms across his chest as he lay on his back, his one foot resting on the rungs of the cage, "It's a bit of a long story. See the thing is I'm in a bit of a competition with a group of misfit warriors to become the next God of Destruction. Throw in an Angel that likes to amuse himself by sending us on suicide missions and hey presto! You end up loosing a game of rock, paper, scissors and get stuck in a prison on a dead planet with a skeleton whose personality is nearly as bad as Kratos'."

He paused, frowning to himself, "And I still think Makhai cheated."

Suddenly, and without warning, the cage sprang open from beneath him, sending Gohan and the skeleton crashing down to the dusty floor below. The young saiyan yelped as his chains unraveled, though stopped just before he hit the ground, suspending him just above the fiery embers where he came face to face with the very being that was the cause of his capture.

"Well, well, well," the brute spoke in an amused tone, "What do we have here? A Saiyan brat all alone on my world. I must say I'm flattered, it's unusual to have guests. Especially one that bares the symbol of the Gods."

Gohan smirked, as the enemy's deep charcoal eyes surveyed the symbol on his uniform, "Well maybe you'd have more guests if you made the place look prettier. Bit off putting what with all the fire and skeletons. Might I suggest a flower garden?"

"Silence!" he growled, his voice echoing menacingly off the cave walls. He straightened himself up to full height, the glow of the embers lighting up the jagged stone throne he was sat upon.

The beast resembled some sort of devil, his enormous body made of coal and fire. His eyes were nothing but deep sockets of emptiness, and Gohan could see the glowing flames behind them. He was at least thirty feet tall, though the horns on his head made him appear even larger. His charcoaled skin burned with amber light, as he leered towards the chained halfling.

"You would do well not to test me _boy_ ," the devilish monster glowered, "I am Scurge, the ruler of the Galaxy of Lost Souls. The epitome of evil, the embodiment of death, all will bow down before-!"

"I know who you are," Gohan cut across him, causing the brute to blink, he obviously wasn't used to being interrupted, "You've been making a right mess of the surrounding galaxies recently, what with you sending out your 'lost souls' to purge other planets. Causes _a lot_ of destruction."

"Aha!" Scurge exclaimed, "So you have seen the beginning of the end, the end of everything! Once the lost souls lay waste to this galaxy, they will take over the next and the next, the universe will spiral into a deep cycle of death and destruction, and I Scurge will-!"

"Oh _spare me_ the evil monologue," the teen saiyan drawled in exasperation, "Blah blah blah death, blah blah take over the universe. Been there, done that. You bad guys are all the same…"

"SILENCE!" Scurge roared, his long fingernails digging into his throne and causing the stone to crack, "Insolent brat! You won't be so cocky once everything you meddling Gods hold dear will be burnt to ashes!"

"What so you're going to take over the universe by just setting it on fire?" he snorted, "Sounds pretty predictable if you ask me."

"Laugh all you want," the smouldering being chuckled darkly, "For once my crown is reunited with the flame of eternity I will be restored to my full might! My strength will be unrivalled, I will burn for all eternity and the universe will -!"

"So let me get this straight," said Gohan, interrupting again and causing the brute to growl, "You're going to stick your crown on the flame of eternity so that you effectively become immortal and set everything on fire?"

"A little simple, but yes that's the gist," Scurge spat, narrowing his fiery eyes.

"The same flame of eternity that is locked away in the temple of The Supreme Kai's?"

"The Kai's are no match for me!" the beastly brute exclaimed, "And it seems that I have already captured a most powerful candidate for the next God of Destruction. Once I have slaughtered the rest, no one will be able to stop me!"

The young saiyan sighed, "So tell me Scurge, where is this crown of yours?"

"This is my crown," he smirked triumphantly, tapping a claw-like finger to the horns on his head, "The source of my power."

"That's a crown?" Gohan blinked, "I thought it was a big eyebrow."

"IT'S A CROWN!" Scurge cried angrily, as the halfling shrugged.

"Anyway," said the teen, "It sounds like all I have to do to stop you is to knock that thing off of your head."

Scurge laughed with mirth, pulling himself up from his throne and approaching him in a wave of smoke and fire, "You cannot stop me child, I am the universe's doom! All will suffer, all will _burn_!"

"You know," Gohan smirked, "As tempting as it is to watch those pretty fireworks of yours, I'm going to have to go with plan B where I bust out of these chains, knock that tiara off your head and stash it away deep in the Kai's temple where no one can find it."

"Oh really now?" the evil being chortled, his long fingers grasping onto the chain suspending the young saiyan, "You and what army?"

The teenager's smirk grew even wider, "This one."

Scurge frowned, as nothing happened, the only sound that of the smouldering embers. Seconds passed, causing Gohan to roll his eyes in despair before shouting to the heavens, "Oh come on!"

The beast roared with laughter, "As I suspected, no one is coming to help you brat, not even your precious Gods."

"Fine," the teen saiyan huffed, "Plan C it is!"

Without another word, did Gohan's golden aura spring to life. His muscles bulged, causing the chains of katchin to shatter, sending the heavy fragments crashing to the ground in a heap. His hair flashed a brilliant gold, spiking upwards in an unruly fashion as his onyx eyes glowed a vibrant emerald green. The whole planet was shaking, shockwaves dispersing over the cave and causing debris to fall from above. An enormous swell of power radiated from the halfling, as his body was engulfed in the epicentre of the brilliant golden light that erupted from his entire being. His aura was electrifying, lightening bolts snapping and crackling at the air as is power grew. His spikey golden hair quivered, flashing rapidly with even more concentrated golden energy.

The halfling couldn't stop himself from screaming, the bellow erupting from his chest as he pushed further and further into the depths of his energy. The hurricane-like winds swept through the cavern as his spikey mane began to grow, reaching his ankles and leaving a stubborn bang waving over his forehead. His eyebrows seemed to have disappeared altogether, his stare hardened and penetrating Scurge who had to cover himself with his ams for protection.

As the light died down, the beast gaped, "W-What is this power?!"

"Oh this?" Gohan grinned wickedly, gesturing to himself, "It's a little trick I've learned recently that I like to call Super Saiyan Three. It's also part of plan C, which is where I kick your arse to kingdom come."

"S-Super Saiyan?" the beastly brute stammered, before coming to his senses. He stood, towering over the golden-haired boy, pure rage coursing through him, "Your power may have increased substantially, but it still won't be enough! GET RID OF THIS BRAT!"

A bone quaking roar reached his ears, as by Scurge's command did hundreds upon hundreds of demon souls spring from the shadows, bursting out of the smouldering ground and making a beeline for the young saiyan. Though Gohan was ready, slipping into a flawless stance as the coal-encrusted souls hurtled towards him.

**BOOM!**

His fist connected with the first one's jaw, breaking it apart instantly in a shower of ash and cinders. The body of the demon was propelled backwards, crashing into over a dozen more souls that disintegrated as soon as they were hit.

Though to Gohan's distain, it didn't stop them from coming. **BOOM! THWACK! CRASH!** One by one they disappeared in a cloud of ash, but it wasn't enough. He was surrounded by Scurge's minions, whose incessant screeching was starting to grate on his nerves. Throwing another smouldering body into a unsuspecting group of souls, the teenager kicked off from the ground and with an abrupt shout unleashed an explosive wave so powerful that the rest of the underlings vanished in an instant with nothing but embers remaining.

Gohan smirked up at the enraged Scurge, who wasted no time in unleashing rapid fire upon the halfling. Smoking boulders flung towards him with malicious intent, though the young super saiyan three batted them away effortlessly, the remains falling to the ground in the same manner as Scurge's minions.

Scurge howled with fury, a torrent of flames erupting from his jaws, causing the halfling to jump swiftly out of range. Powering up even further, Gohan careened towards the giant at break neck speed, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick straight to his skull. A sonic boom ricocheted over the dark cavern from the force of the teenager's attack. Scurge's crown flew clean off his head, and with a final scream of anguish did the brute disintegrate, the metallic crown toppling to the ground with a loud **CLANG**.

Gohan breathed a sigh of relief as he levitated himself back down, picking up the crown that was as big as his torso and inspecting it curiously. His ears suddenly perked up, as an almighty crash sounded and six figures broke through the ceiling, sending a great amount dust and debris flying through the cave.

He coughed, as he glared at his comrades, who were bathed in the light emitting from the hole they had just created from the planets surface, "What the bloody hell took you so long?!"

"We ran into _a lot_ of Scurge's minions up top," said Alala, dusting off an arrow that was covered in ash, "And anyway, it was your idea to have someone get captured so that we could infiltrate Scurge's lair, so don't get mad at us."

The teenager rolled his eyes, "It wasn't my idea to be the damsel in distress! Why do I have to be the bait all the time?"

"Well, no one expects the shortest to be so strong!" Makhai winked, throwing an arm over his shoulder as Gohan shot him a glare, even though he had had a growth spurt recently, he was still only a bit shorter than Alala, "Where is Scurge anyway?"

The young saiyan held up the crown in his palms, "Dead. No thanks to you lot."

Kratos snorted, eyeing the smoking cavern, "At least you didn't make too much of a mess this time, good work I suppose, even if it took longer than expected."

"Aw Kratos, don't look so glum," Makhai spouted cheekily before Gohan could retort, "So what if Sparky killed the main baddie this time round? There's always next time. The important thing to remember is that you tried your best!"

"That's enough of your lip Makhai," the older teen growled as the others chuckled, "The only thing that matters is that Scurge and his army of lost souls are dead, we completed our mission."

"That's the spirit," Bia smiled, her yellow eyes surveying him, "You've come a long way Kratos, even if you are still jealous of Gohan."

"I am not!"

"He is too," whispered Makhai, nudging Gohan in the ribs, "By the way mate, do me a favour and power down would you? The whole no eyebrows thing gives me the wobbles."

The halfling growled, feeling rather exposed, "It's not like I can help it!"

"I'm just saying that it's not a good look on you," the boy shrugged.

"I'm not trying to win a beauty competition Makhai," he retorted haughtily, as the others snorted with laughter around him.

"It's a good job too," he jested, "You wouldn't be winning any medals any time soon, even _with_ the hair extensions."

"Oi!"

"Well I think Gohan's transformations look cool," said Alala, sticking up for him, "I think the long hair really suits him."

Kratos scoffed, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ugh enough of this rubbish, we can talk about Gohan's hair problems later," said Deimos scathingly, "Can we get off this hell hole of a planet before you all start snogging each other?"

Eris sighed almost longingly, watching the fires burn around her, "I don't know, I think this place is rather beautiful. It reminds me of my home planet on the day that I took it over."

"So, before Miss galactic overlord decides to relive her glory days and do us all in," Makhai spouted as the others stared blankly at her, "Shall we get the HFIL out of here?"

"Allow me," Kratos said with a triumphant smirk, placing his hand on Bia's shoulder, "I've been perfecting my teleportation technique. Grab on to me and I'll have us out of here in no time."

As they moved towards him, a tremendous, earth quaking growl reached their ears.

"Better make it quick," Makhai laughed, "Judging by that sound, I don't think Gohan's stomach can last much longer."

"Er Makhai," Gohan said wearily, "That wasn't me."

"Eh? Then what the bloody hell was -?"

**BOOM!**

The recruits ducked, covering their heads with their arms as a gigantic snake-like creature burst through the cave floor below them. It roared again, the force of it's lungs causing their heads to spin. It growled menacingly, towering high above the seven competitors with a fiery glow in it's eyes. It's red scaled skin seemed to shine in the dark cave, the embers reflecting off the bottom of it's long belly.

"OUT OF EVERYTHING, YOU LEFT _THAT_ ONE ALIVE?!" Kratos roared at Gohan.

"I didn't know it was here!" He protested hotly.

"What were you too busy brushing your long flowing locks to notice?!" Deimos snapped.

"Shut up!"

"Let's go!" Bia bellowed, kicking off from the ground and leading the way out of the cave through the gap in the ceiling.

They sped over the desolate planet, through the steamy clouds, dodging volcanic eruptions that spewed from every corner of Sagor. Gohan's super saiyan three speed was unrivalled, though the gigantic serpent was still hot on their tail. He could hear the shouts of his comrades over the roar of flames that engulfed the planet, the creature's jaws snapping at their heels.

Then, just like that, a shining white beacon of light appeared up ahead.

"The Warp!" Kratos cried, "Hurry!"

They made it just in time, clinging onto each other desperately as they shot up into the atmosphere through the shaft of light with supersonic speeds. The recruits touched down with a thud back on Lord Beerus' planet, the amber skies and dark grass greeting them, along with Whis, who stood before them with a curious stare. The light from The Warp began to fade, but not before the severed head of the great serpent shot out of the beacon, landing before them with a sickening squelch, spewing forth a tidal wave of sticky purple blood that drenched all seven recruits, though miraculously missed Whis by less than an inch.

At once, six of the seven teens looked towards the guilty half-saiyan, who quickly evaporated the golden Ki blade from his palm, powering out of his transformation immediately.

"Heh heh," Gohan mustered meekly, "Sorry, my bad."

"I take back what I said about you not creating a mess," Kratos scowled, flinging the alien snake blood from his hands.

"Now now recruits," Whis chuckled, as the head slowly came to a stop in front of him, "There's no use crying over spilt milk, or a severed Echidna head for that matter."

With a tap of his staff, the recruits were as pristine as when they had first left for their mission, the Echindna's head nowhere in sight.

"Ah," the Angel smiled, eyeing the crown in Gohan's hand, "I see you have successfully retrieved the crown of Scurge. Excellent work everyone."

"It was nothing!" Makhai grinned, brushing his now dry hair out of his eyes, "No seriously, we did nothing, it was all thanks to Gohan here!"

"Speak for yourself," Kratos growled, as Deimos and Eris scoffed, "Were it not for us then he would have been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of lost souls that Scurge had in his entourage!"

"It's true," the young saiyan offered, "We all worked together Master Whis."

"Humble as you are Gohan, it would be nice to see you have faith in your victories once in a while," Whis said wisely, causing the young teen to blush, "As it stands, the defeat of Scurge has come at a perfect timing."

"How so Master?" asked Eris with a frown.

"Ah you see, I was planning a little trip to The Sacred Realm of The Kai's anyway," he said, a glint in his violet eyes, "We can deposit the crown of Scurge in the temple's vault whilst we are there."

"We?" Deimos quirked, the recruits had never been permitted to go to the Kai's sacred realm before, "You're taking us?"

"But of course," said Whis, smiling widely, "How else do you expect me to choose a suitable successor if you all aren't present for the final task? It would be rather unfair don't you think?"

Their eyes widened in utter disbelief.

"F-final task?" Alala whispered, "Master Whis, surely you don't mean-?!"

"I know it may seem a little premature," the blue-skinned deity spoke, "But with the heights of power you have all obtained from your time here, I think it would be foolish to delay choosing our new junior destroyer for much longer. At the end of today, I'm hoping that one of you will be selected so that we can begin your destroyer training quite swiftly. I'm sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but if this test doesn't work then I will have to find another method to make my decision final."

"Test?" Gohan frowned, he couldn't help but notice that Whis' gaze lingered on him when he was speaking about the amount of power they had achieved, "What kind of test?"

"It's not an easy one I'm afraid," said Whis, ignoring Makhai's comment of "Figures", "Granted, many warriors and even some Gods have attempted it, but none have been successful thus far."

"Then what makes you think that we can do it Master?" asked Bia.

The Angel chuckled, "Oh dear girl, I'm not expecting any of you to retrieve the Z-Sword. Though creaking it in place from where it is wedged in stone would be substantial enough."

Gohan blinked, _the_ Z-Sword? The same Z-Sword that the wicked Perses had tried to get his hands on over a thousand years ago? The same one that he had killed millions for? Including his own mother? He gulped and looked around him, it seemed that he was the only one who even knew what it was, and just how epic it would be to weild as the others merely bore looks of confusion.

"The Z-Sword?" Kratos repeated, causing Whis to smile.

"The Z-Sword is a very powerful relic, forged in the heart of a dying star and buried in rock deep within the Kai's realm for millions of years," the deity explained, "It is said that only someone pure of heart can wield it, though from experience we know that the sword is much pickier than that, for many pure warriors have tried to retrieve the it from stone with no avail. It is said that it's power has no equal, and can be used as a tool to destroy or to build. Once it has chosen it's master, the two become one weapon, capable of cutting down the mightiest of foes. A fitting companion for a destroyer God, don't you agree?"

Makhai whistled, "Sounds sharp."

"Indeed," said Whis, the light from The Warp encompassing them once more, "Shall we?"

* * *

Gohan didn't know what to think, or feel. This was it, the moment he had been training for all this time. The time when he would find out if all of his sleepless nights, suicide missions and gruelling training sessions had been worth it. He was so much stronger than when he had first appeared on Lord Beerus' planet, he had grown into a warrior he thought his father would be proud of. Learned things about the universe that his mother would no doubt praise him for if she knew. He had achieved a new level of super saiyan that he hoped Vegeta would marvel at, and he had learned battle smarts that he hoped Piccolo would be bowled over by. He had gained a confidence that he never had as a child, a confidence that had ignited a bravery within that he wished the rest of the Z-Fighters could see. For all he had ever wanted was to protect his friends, and he bet Krillin, Yamcha and Tien would be in awe at his growth. But despite all the things he had achieved; the power, the book smarts, the heart, would it all be worth it if he didn't complete the task Whis had set for them?

Would he feel disappointed if he failed? He shook his head, of course he would! He had trained _so_ hard. But still, would he be allowed back home if he failed? He sighed, it wouldn't do well to get his hopes up either way. He didn't want to disappoint Whis, but similarly he didn't want to disappoint his family and friends. How would they react if he suddenly was able to contact them from The Otherworld? How would he even begin to explain where he had been?

He gulped, just how many years had passed anyway?

His eyes were suddenly blinded, as the light from The Warp intensified, and when it disappeared altogether did he blink, his vision coming to focus on a vast purple sky. It reminded him of Beerus' world in a way, as he made out many other planets dotted around the upper atmosphere. There was no breeze at all and fields of emerald grass seemed to stretch for miles. A colourful array of flowers grew by a sparkling clear spring, and what looked like an ancient temple stood proudly overlooking the planet amongst a midst of rolling hills.

"Welcome to The Sacred Realm of The Kai's," said Whis, as the recruits looked around them in awe.

And Gohan could see why it was just that, it was simply breathtaking.

"Ah, and here comes The Supreme Kai and his attendant."

The young saiyan followed his mentor's gaze across the meadow, where two figures were making their way towards them, both looking a little apprehensive. They were dressed in similar ceremonial garbs, that were wrapped in a kimono-like fashion around their middle. One, was tall with long white hair and blood red skin. He walked a ways behind the other man, who was much shorter. He had large pointed ears with earrings dangling from each lobe, whereas the shorter one had light purple skin and his white hair was styled into a mohawk atop his head.

He got a strange feeling from them, just like the time he had first met Lord Beerus, though the pressure wasn't as intense. He still felt a little intimidated though, they were Gods after all. The very beings that had created him.

"Good afternoon Supreme Kai," Whis said kindly as they came to a halt in front of them, "I trust you are well?"

"Greetings Whis," the purple-skinned deity spoke pleasantly, "It is a blessed day to have you and your hopefuls here."

"Quite," he smiled, before addressing the teenagers, "Students, may I introduce The Supreme Kai."

Gohan quickly copied the others as they bowed their heads in respect.

"And this is his assistant Kibito," said Whis, gesturing to the taller red-skinned deity, who bowed back.

"Marvellous," the Angel grinned, clapping his hands together in excitement, "Oh before I forget, Gohan, will you please pass the crown of Scurge to Kibito for safe keeping?"

The halfling did as he was told, and handed the crown over to the Kai's assistant, who looked rather flabbergasted.

"Ah," The Supreme Kai observed, his dark eyes twinkling, "So you managed to defeat Scurge?"

"Barely broke a sweat Supreme Kai Sir!" Makhai exclaimed, "He was a right push over!"

The Kai chuckled, turning to Whis, "I can see why you have high hopes for these recruits."

"Indeed," he nodded knowingly, "Though I have already informed them of their chances in regards to retrieving the Z-Sword."

"Wisely done I'm assured," said Supreme Kai, "I wouldn't want them to be disheartened should they fail."

He paused for a moment, looking around him. And Gohan could have sworn a beat of sweat just trickled from his brow as he asked, "Is Lord Beerus not accompanying you?"

"Oh heavens no," said Whis, "He would be frightfully upset if I woke him up for nothing."

"Right, of course," he replied, as Kibito let out a breath he had been holding for quite sometime, "Let's get started then shall we?"

Gohan frowned, did Lord Beerus really scare them that much? He thought Makhai had been exaggerating.

He kicked off from the ground along with the rest of the group, following The Supreme Kai and Kibito through the skies. The view of the Kai's world was even more spectacular from above, with neat forests, bold mountains and vast lakes that glistened in the light of the distant suns, holding reflections of times lost long ago. Finally, they started to slow in their flight, and the young saiyan noticed a tall winding cliff face that protruded out from one of the lakes. Something glinted in the sunlight up ahead, the glimmering golden hilt of the Z-Sword sticking out of the ancient rock. Gohan gulped as they landed, standing in a semicircle surrounding the legendary relic.

It was the moment of truth.

He didn't know what he was expecting really. It just looked like an ordinary sword to him. He had envisioned it to be bigger in all honesty, encrusted with extravagant jewels or guarded by some kind of impenetrable force, especially with the history it had behind it of people trying to steal it. But here it was for the taking, sitting out in broad daylight for all to see. Though the rock it was embedded in didn't seem to be scuffed or broken one bit, as though the sword had been recently placed there, not having warriors and Gods alike trying to force it out of it's prison for thousands of years.

"So, who wants to go first?" Whis asked happily, his eyes surveying them.

"I'll go," Kratos said unsurprisingly, starting forwards boldly before anyone else could muster a word.

"Very well Kratos," The Supreme Kai spoke kindly, "And good luck to you, young warrior."

He bowed to the God of Creation, before clearing his throat, placing both of his hands on the hilt of the sword. His eyes closed in concentration, he breathed deeply - and pulled.

Gohan sucked in a breath, watching intently as the older teen's biceps began to strain, a vein protruding from his temple as he pulled with all his might. Kratos growled, his heels digging into the rock and forming cracks around his feet, yet the mighty Z-Sword did not so much as creak in place.

"Damn it!" the warrior spat, his arms trembling, but he didn't let go just yet. His crimson aura burst to life around his frame as he brought his Ki to the surface, the veins in his arms and neck even more prominent than before.

The halfling was certain that he had it this time, as his energy output grew to ridiculous heights, so much so that the roaring winds he was creating almost knocked Kibito off of the cliff. Gohan's mid-length ebony hair blew back from his face, though he couldn't take his eyes off Kratos and the fierce determination he was emitting. His teeth were gritted together so much so that the teen was worried that they might snap in to, the sweat was pouring from his brow unforgivingly so. And it was then did he realise, that for the first time, Kratos was actually struggling.

"Argh!" he cried out, as his aura suddenly dispersed, his energy spent as he let go of the hilt, his sweat laden hands slipping and causing him to fall onto his backside with an audible thud.

Kratos looked just as shocked as the rest of the recruits felt. This was Kratos the Great after all, no doubt still the strongest out of them. Even with Gohan's next level super saiyan did their matches never end with a clear winner, for they would both tire before it's end.

A loud crack broke the young saiyan out of his thoughts, as Kratos slammed his fist to the ground, causing a sizeable fracture in the cliff. He breathed angrily, his chest heaving as his hardened gaze settled once again on the Z-Sword.

"Not all is lost Kratos," said Whis, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, "Just because you haven't been able to move it doesn't mean that you have failed. The other recruits have not yet had their turn. If none of you are able to creak the sword in place then I have other methods for choosing Lord Beerus' successor."

"Y-yes Master," Kratos breathed steadily, attempting to calm himself down, "My apologies."

"No matter my boy," the Angel said warmly as he stood, "Now why don't you let the others have their turn?"

"Of course," the teen replied, shuffling away quietly and sitting himself down from everyone else.

Makhai snorted beside Gohan, acting out the gesture of playing the world's smallest violin and pretending to sob.

"Makhai, you're next," Whis said firmly, causing the ginger-haired teen to jump.

"Alright!" He beamed, bounding towards the centre of the rock and giving Kibito a wink, "You ready for a spectacle big guy?"

Kibito's eye twitched in annoyance, as the fanged boy grinned, placing his hands on the hilt and giving one almighty tug.

**SLAM!**

Gohan face-palmed, as Makhai pulled a bit too enthusiastically, his grip slipping almost immediately, causing him to topple over backwards and hit the ground face first.

"Oh my," gasped The Supreme Kai as the recruits snorted with laughter, "are you alright Makhai?"

"Owww," the boy groaned, a big red mark on his forehead from the impact, "That baby's really wedged in there huh?"

"But of course," stated Kibito, "It is not easy for Gods, much less mere mortals."

Makhai scowled, "Can I have another go?"

"Certainly not!" the red-skinned deity spluttered, "You've had your chance!"

"But that was just a practice run!"

"I'm sorry Makhai but Kibito is right," said Whis, "It's just one turn each I'm afraid."

"Fine, whatever," Makhai said haughtily, picking himself up from the ground and moving to sit with Gohan, "Suit yourselves. You can't handle my comedic value anyway."

The Supreme Kai sighed, "Next?"

Gohan watched carefully, as one by one his peers failed to pull the sword from the stone. They had all powered up to their maximum, yet all landed on their backsides in a similar state to Kratos and Makhai.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, The Supreme Kai turned his gaze to him, "And Son Gohan? You're last I believe."

The teenager swallowed thickly, he had wondered just how the Kai knew all of their names, though he reasoned that as a God of Creation he would know all about them. He could feel Whis' expectant eyes burning into him as he stood, but in all honesty he was sceptical. Not a single one of the recruits had managed to even creak the sword in place, yet Whis had insisted that they continue. Maybe it was another one of his master's tests? It just had to be, he didn't think that anyone could move that sword. No one had managed to do so in thousands of years. Whoever had put it there must have been ridiculously strong or put a curse on it or something surely.

So why now? How were they, seemingly novice mortal warriors, supposed to pull it out after all of this time? It didn't make any sense why Whis would even set it as a final task. And yet…

And yet as Gohan stood, making his way to the Z-Sword just as the rest had done before him, did the young saiyan feel a weird pull towards it.

He frowned, goosebumps appearing on his arms as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something strange coiled at the pit of his stomach, a bundle of nerves, adrenaline and a burst of excitement that he couldn't shake. What did this mean? His mind suddenly drifted to the story of Perses, the one whose power rivalled Beerus. Not even _he_ could release the Z-Sword according to the Oracle Fish. But Whis had said that only someone truly pure of heart could be chosen in the first place. Did the sword have a mind of it's own or something?

No sooner did the thought cross his mind, did a whisper of a voice reach his ears, _"Believe."_

Gohan jumped, "D-did you hear that?"

"Hear what Gohan?" Whis asked, a knowing glint in his eye, "Is there something you wish to share?"

"No, sorry," he replied, shaking his head, "I'm just a bit nervous I suppose."

"It's only natural Gohan," The Supreme Kai said kindly, "But do not worry, I'm sure you'll do your best."

"Thanks," the teenager replied bluntly, wow the Gods really had no faith in them did they?

Sighing to himself, and trying to shake the strange feeling of foreboding away, he placed his palms around the hilt of the Z-Sword. No sooner had he touched it, did a bolt of electricity jolt between his fingertips. His eyes widened, and he was forced to take a deep shuddering breath as he felt as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs at once. He felt dizzy, and his head was swimming as though he had been dunked in water. What was happening to him? Had Surge hit him without him noticing or something? Was it some kind of late onset concussion he was experiencing?

"Oi Gohan!" Makhai's bored voice called, breaking through the surface, "Hurry it up will you? My arse is going numb sat here."

The teen saiyan mentally slapped himself, he could feel the Gods watching him intently. He gritted his teeth, no matter what weird concussion he was experiencing, he just needed to get this humiliation over with.

_"Just turn into one of those super saiyans, and believe."_

His mouth opened in shock, the voice was back! But where on earth was it coming from? He was going mental, he was sure of it. But for the life of him, he couldn't tear is hands away from the hilt of the sword, as if his fingers were stuck to it with some kind of insanely strong superglue. The voice didn't return, though something was telling him to just give in and follow what it said. To HFIL with it, Gohan thought, if it wanted a super saiyan, he was sure as hell going to give it one.

It was with a painful realisation did he realise that he was having an argument with an imaginary voice in his head.

With a low growl, the young saiyan transformed, his golden aura rippling with electricity as he burst immediately into the second level of super saiyan. Dark storm clouds encircled above him, as lightening bolts connected with his growing aura, his golden hair expanding towards his ankles and his eyebrows disappearing completely. The entire world shook with an agonising force, causing the cliff to tremble beneath his feet. The Supreme Kai, Kibito, Whis and the others had frantically took to the air, as Gohan's great influx of power threatened to engulf them all.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DOES HE THINK HE'S DOING?!" Makhai shrieked over the windstorm.

"Tch, show off," Deimos snorted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Extraordinary," Supreme Kai blinked, as Kibito practically trembled beside him, "For someone so young, how can he have all that power?"

"Master?" Alala asked, looking towards the Angel who had not uttered a word since Gohan had stood, he was smiling.

Grasping the hilt of the Z-Sword tight, Gohan gritted his teeth, and with his aura blazing, lighting up the now dark sky, he pulled. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, as where he was expecting to feel some kind of resistance - was there none.

The ancient relic slid easily out of the rock that it had been trapped within for thousands of years. It withdrew with such ease, that the teenager wrenched it free in one fluid motion. The cliff face splintered and crumpled, the debris falling through the air and plummeting into the lake with an enormous splash. The disturbed water exploded into the sky before falling once more, now intermingled with dust left over from the cliff's demise.

And there, dangling in the air with the Z-Sword held tightly within his palm, was a very shocked half-saiyan. He still in the third form of super saiyan, too flabbergasted by what he had just achieved to even move. Then slowly, he turned towards the group hovering across from him in the sky, their jaws hitting the floor simultaneously.

The Z-Sword was free.

"Well well," Whis chuckled, a bright smile upon his lips, "I do believe we've found our new junior destroyer."

* * *

_Originally posted on 11th June, 2018._


	7. Hakai

It was as though he was in a dream, sleepwalking through every motion in the few hours since he had pulled the Z-Sword out of the stone. Whis couldn't stop smiling, though Kratos had simply refused to even look at him for a good hour or so. Makhai, Alala and Bia had been utterly beside themselves, as were The Supreme Kai and Kibito, who couldn't believe that a mere mortal had managed to free the legendary relic, and with such ease too. Eris and Deimos seemed a little disappointed, but had extended their congratulations to him all the same.

It was like a daze, for now Gohan was stood in the middle of the common room, Z-Sword in hand, watching as the other recruits put their belongings together, ready to leave Lord Beerus' world forever. The first thing that he had noticed about the sword was that it was ridiculously heavy, so heavy in fact, that the young saiyan had barely managed to keep a firm hold of it. When he had dropped out of his transformation due to the shock of actually freeing the relic, he had nearly plunged into the lake below. Once he was able to get a solid grip on it, he had managed to drag it back to the camp, and now it's sharp pointed edge was resting upon the solid stone floor, a small crack beneath it as Gohan leaned on the hilt.

"Well, this is it," Makhai said brightly, clapping his hands together and breaking the halfling out of his thoughts, "I'll miss you mate, good luck with all the destroying."

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at that, allowing the older boy to grasp a hold of his hand before pulling him into a tight one armed hug, "Thanks Makhai, I'll miss you too. All of you."

"Oh come on, don't get all soppy," snorted Deimos, rolling his eyes at the display of affection, "You're better than that."

The young teen smiled, as Bia moved forwards to embrace him, tears in her yellow eyes.

"Oh Gohan," she wept, grabbing his head and clutching him tightly to her bosom, "It has been such an honour to fight alongside you! It's much sooner than expected, too soon even, but our paths must d-diverge!"

"Give him some air Bia," Alala chuckled, nudging her out of the way and saving the halfling from her deathly strong grip. "Besides, it's not all doom and gloom. Did you not hear what The Supreme Kai said? He was so impressed with us that he's enlisted us all to become sentinels of the universe, he's naming it the Supreme Guard."

"The Supreme Guard?" the young saiyan quirked.

"Bit righteous sounding if you ask me," said Eris, "But essentially that's what we will be, guardians of the universe."

"Yeah, we'll train on the Grand Kai's planet directly under the big boss himself," Makhai chimed, "If anything goes down that's a bit untoward then we'll be called upon to kick some galactic arse!"

"Sounds like it will be an adventure," Gohan grinned, causing Alala to beam.

"Well come on then," Eris huffed after a beat of silence, picking her duffle bag off of the floor, "Let's go and start this damned adventure before Makhai starts crying again."

"I'm not crying!" the fanged boy choked, hiding his face, "I've just got something in my eye!"

Eris and Deimos rolled their eyes before giving Gohan a wave, shoving Makhai out of the door as they went.

To Gohan's surprise, a strong hand clapped him on the shoulder. It was odd, Kratos hadn't spoke to him since they were back on the Kai's sacred world.

"Don't mess it up," said Kratos with a hardened stare before the halfling could speak, his own belongings tossed over his shoulder, "I hope you know just how important this opportunity is, and that one of us will eagerly take your place should you fail."

"I'll do my best not to let you down then," he replied, giving him a cheeky smile.

The older teen grunted in response, grasping Bia's hand and dragging her out with him.

"Bye Gohan!" She waved, "Train hard!"

"I will!" he waved back, before realising that only Alala remained.

"Still here?" he asked, causing her to smile brightly.

"I just wanted to give you something," said the violet-skinned girl, causing his brow to furrow in confusion.

"Oh really? Wha-?" Gohan was cut short, as Alala leaned forwards, and pressed her lips to his cheek.

It had lasted all of a second when she pulled back, giving him a winning smile, "Good luck."

All he could do was stare numbly after her as her footsteps retreated down the corridor and out of the camp. The halfling was blushing to the roots of his hair, his lips parted in shock as he brushed his fingers over the tingling space where Alala's lips had touched his skin.

"Ahem."

There was a sudden overwhelming pressure that appeared behind him, causing him to whirl around, his eyes wide as they settled on the newcomers.

Just how long had they been standing there?!

Whis was giving him a wicked smile, a knowing glint in his eye. Beside him, was the one and only Lord Beerus, awake for the first time since he had met him, whose icy stare positively penetrated his entire being. He did not look pleased.

"I'll have you know that this is a sacred place," the God of Destruction leered at him, "And no _canoodling_ of any sort is allowed on my planet, boy."

"I-I didn't! I wasn't!" Gohan spluttered, utterly mortified and praying that Lord Beerus didn't destroy him where he stood.

"Now now Lord Beerus," Whis mustered, "Let's not tease our new junior destroyer. He's already had a testing day."

"Humph," the cat-like deity huffed, "Then he shouldn't make it so easy."

The teenager couldn't help but scowl as Whis spoke, the gem on his sceptre flashing green, "Oh my, it seems that we are already late for our appointment on Planet Buta my Lord."

"Oh yes," Beerus purred thoughtfully, scratching his chin, "How could I have forgotten our inspection of that festering mud hole they call a planet."

"It has been several decades since our last inspection," the Angel said pointedly, "They may have set things straight by now. I hear they have a new king."

"I'll be the judge of that," the God scoffed before turning his focus to Gohan, "Come on then boy, let's get going."

"M-me?" the young saiyan blinked, "I'm coming with you?"

Beerus snorted, "Of course. What, did you think you could have a nice relax now that you've proven your worth? Well think again, the real hard work begins now."

"But didn't you want me to train with the Z-Sword?" he asked, remembering the conversation Whis had with him right after he had withdrew sword from stone. He had told Gohan that training with the relic would in turn make him stronger, and that in order to use it to it's full potential, he must master it.

"Certainly Gohan," said Whis, "But that will come later. First theory, then practical."

"Exactly," Lord Beerus said haughtily, "it takes more than just paltry training to become a Destroyer, even with the Z-Sword."

Gohan gulped, as he narrowed his eyes at him, before turning to his mentor, "Whis, you've obviously been too soft on the boy, maybe I should just destroy you for your incompetence."

The teenager's eyes widened, surely he wasn't serious?

"Death threats my Lord?" Whis chuckled heartily, "My, it's been a while since you've stooped so low. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Beerus growled, as the Angel continued, "Young Gohan may have come a long way from his short time here, but he is aware that he still has an even longer way to go. Ah, which reminds me."

Gohan jumped as a sudden silvery light engulfed his frame, courtesy of Whis' sceptre. He felt the clothes he was wearing fly off his back, replaced by thicker, heavier more durable ones that made him gasp as he stared at his reflection in the mirror that Whis had materialised for him.

For where his mentor's signature blue tracksuit had been, was a deeper sky blue ceremonial garb. The cloak was sleeveless and open at the torso, with a high collar and fell to just above his ankles, exposing his muscular arms and bare chest. A golden hem was threaded around the edges, and it had splits up each side which allowed for free movement of his legs that were covered in bright white gi trousers. From the belt hung a piece of long black fabric that met in a point between his legs, with three white and gold diamonds decorating it. Not too dissimilar to Lord Beerus' gi. Matching blue, white and gold boots adorned his feet, and solid gold wristbands were attached to each wrist, including one in his hair that was tied back in between his shoulder blades in a short ponytail.

As Gohan gaped at his reflection, Whis voiced his very thoughts, "That's much better. Now you're really looking like a God of Destruction."

"Hurry up Whis, it already takes nineteen minutes to get there," Lord Beerus yawned loudly, "Ugh, I hate long flights."

The teenager frowned, nineteen minutes didn't seem like that long to him.

"Well it is on the other side of the galaxy my Lord," said Whis with mild exasperation, gesturing to the sudden appearance of a lunchbox in his hand, the mirror long gone, "I've taken the liberty of making you a snack for the journey."

"Well why didn't you say so?" the deity spouted greedily, swiftly moving behind him and placing his hand on his back, "Let's get to it. Hurry up boy, and don't make me tell you again."

Gohan jumped to attention immediately, placing his hand on Whis' back as the light from The Warp encompassed them. They shot into the air, bursting through the atmosphere of Beerus' planet and out into the stars. Planets and moons whizzed past them as Lord Beerus tucked into his snacks, though Gohan was rather pleased to find that Whis had made him a lunchbox also.

It was a good job too, for the young saiyan did not realise what was about to come.

* * *

**The King's Palace, Planet Buta, West Galaxy**

Gohan had never been to such an extravagant place. Even though the planet itself wasn't too grand to speak of. It was much smaller than Earth, situated at the edge of the Western province of the universe with several moons encircling it's orange sky. Though the young saiyan was rather glad to land, after having to listen to Beerus complain about the universal transportation system for the last nineteen minutes.

The Warp had touched down in a fairly pristine courtyard of an ancient looking palace, with high rising towers and spiralling stone structures. It reminded Gohan of a castle out of one of his fairytale books his mother used to read to him as a very small child, until he learned to read himself of course and decided he was too old for such fantasy. Come to think of it, that wasn't long after he had been kidnapped by his estranged uncle, Raditz.

Lost in his memories for a rare moment, the young saiyan almost got left behind, as he realised that Whis and Lord Beerus were already walking ahead of him, several guards greeting them at the foot of a gleaming marble flagged staircase leading up to the palace entrance.

It was safe to say that every single person they came across was utterly terrified of Beerus, guards stood rapidly to attention as he walked by, maids and servants bowed in his wake, not one of them making eye contact, as if they were afraid that he would destroy them instantly if they so much as looked at him funny. Gohan could have sworn that even the suits of armour were shaking in fright.

He trotted along behind Whis and Lord Beerus obediently, trying to pay attention to what a trembling humanoid pig was saying about the state of the planet's politics and affairs but was too busy staring at the magnificent palace.

Lord Beerus seemed to be bored by the alien's spouting, that was until they came to a pair of enormous oak doors that had the most delicious smell coming from inside. The deity's ears perked up, his nose twitched, and he allowed the alien, who Gohan learned was the King's right hand, to show them inside.

The doors opened to reveal a grand hall, with a long mahogany table at the centre of the room. China and shining golden cutlery was set out for a feast, with around fifty chairs alining each side of the table. Slimmer, grey-skinned guards lined the walls, looking straight ahead, their knuckles white as they grasped tightly onto their staff-like weapons for dear life.

The young saiyan was immediately ordered by the Destroyer to sit at his right side, which he did so without question as Lord Beerus seated himself at the head of the table in a chair that resembled a throne. Whis stood behind the throne to the deity's left, his features stoic as a bumbling King started forward.

Were it not for the glittering crown and jewels, Gohan wouldn't have thought he was the ruler of the planet. He certainly didn't carry himself like a King, and was just as terrified of Lord Beerus as everyone else, almost tripping on his long crimson cape as he hurriedly bowed to them.

"L-Lord Beerus," the pig-like King mustered, the crown nearly slipping off his head as he bowed too deeply, "W-what an honour i-it i-is to have y-you grace our p-planet."

"Save your pleasantries King Hoggart," Beerus sighed with a wave of his paw, "I'm hungry. We'll discuss the matter of whether your planet deserves to remain intact after I have inspected your people's cuisine."

"O-Of course your Lordship!" King Hoggart spluttered, "M-My apologies!"

Gohan's eyes widened, as with a snap of the King's fingers did an enormous feast appear right in front of them. Plates upon plates of dishes greeted them, and although the smell was tantalising, the young saiyan couldn't even imagine food that looked less appetising. Severed alien-looking fish heads protruded out of sticky, globular piles of Kami knows what. There were bowls of treacle-like slime that was almost as green as a Namekian. Carcasses of strange animals were dotted all around the table, their large teeth still intact and their empty eyes seemingly staring right at him. Bile rose in his throat, as the bowl of slime in front of him started to bubble and pop. He silently thanked his lucky stars that he had eaten on the way here, as he didn't think he could bare to stomach any of it.

"L-Lord Beerus, please help yourself to this royal feast!" The King bowed again, his eyes pleading, "each course has been meticulously crafted by our world's finest chefs, and I can assure you that their creations are the definition of exquisite. Far from the atrocious feast I believe you encountered on your last visit here centuries ago where you made our world smaller."

"You made their world _smaller_?!" Gohan blurted suddenly, gaping in shock. He didn't know that was even possible! And all because he didn't like the food?!

"You watch how you speak to Lord Beerus boy!" The King's right hand suddenly spoke up, shooting daggers at him, "Just who do you think you are?"

A tense silence greeted the table, and Whis let out a small giggle behind them.

"King Hoggart," Lord Beerus spoke dangerously, causing the pig humanoid to squeak, "Please advise your staff that the boy they are addressing is to be my successor, and as such should be respected in the same kind as myself. Unless they want to be destroyed of course."

"Y-your successor?" King Hoggart blinked, giving Gohan a fearful look that he wasn't all too comfortable with.

"That's right," said Whis, "May I introduce Son Gohan, our new junior destroyer."

At once, the King was on his knees, as was the attendant who had addressed him, "We're so sorry!" they cried, nearly sobbing, "Please forgive us Lord Gohan!" "We thought you were an assistant to Lord Beerus!"

"Er, it's alright, honestly," said Gohan wearily, his new title incredibly odd to hear, "You can get up, please, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Well there you have it," said Beerus, "You have the junior destroyer's forgiveness. You would be wise not to test him in future."

"Oh thank you!" King Hoggart implored, tears shining in his eyes as he looked towards the halfling, "How gracious you are!"

The teenager honestly didn't know where to look or how to feel, as the destroyer God spoke again, "Now this food you say, your belief is that it is better than what I have tried on your planet before?"

"W-why yes Lord Beerus!" Hoggart nodded enthusiastically, finally getting to his feet, "In fact, every single one of these delicacies have won prestigious awards. I have every c-confidence that y-you will enjoy them."

"Really now?" the deity said, raising an eyebrow, "We'll see about that."

They watched hesitantly, as Beerus picked up his fork and began to poke at some of the dishes surrounding him.

"Please remember your manners Lord Beerus," Whis sighed, as the God continued to sniff each one curiously, picking up a few and examining them before he tapped his fork on a martini glass full of a purple jelly-like substance with a sprinkling of strange fruit on top.

"And what is this?" he asked, the chime of fork upon glass echoing over the grand hall.

At once, all eyes turned to a row of chefs standing at the back of the room, who had all been watching the tasting session nervously.

"Er, it's er, completely organically grilled flash pan rice with a serving of olapanantin your mighty Lordship!" one of them squeaked, shouting his words more than was needed.

Beerus narrowed his eyes, "Ola- opal - olapana-? Are you serious? Tch, what an insufferable name."

The chef started to weep, though the destroyer ignored him. The rest of the room watched with baited breath as Beerus put the glass to his lips, poured the entire contents of the gelatinous substance into his mouth and swallowed.

"Hmmm," he mustered, and to Gohan's surprise he nodded in approval, "Tastier than I expected King, the use of salt is… divine."

The pig-like humanoids let out a breath that they had been holding for quite some time.

"T-Thank you my Lord," King Hoggart sighed, though he still looked nervous, "S-So you won't-?"

"That being said," Beerus continued, using a claw to pick at his teeth, causing them to gulp simultaneously, "There is a greasy feel to the tongue which is odd for what I assume is dessert? What do you make of it, junior destroyer?"

Gohan jumped, as all eyes were upon him at once. His mouth hung open, surely he didn't want him to taste that slimy goop?!

"Well come on," said the destroyer, pushing another glass of the strange dessert towards him, "I'm curious to know what you think, seen as Saiyans are known to eat just about anything that's put in front of them."

He gulped, as the aliens began muttering about his father's race. He caught the words, "He's a Saiyan?!" "Extinct?!" and "Insanely dangerous." Gohan looked towards Whis in apprehension, though the Angel all but gave him a reassuring nod. He supposed that this was what he signed up for after all. He decided to grin and bare it, no matter how disgusting the food looked, he didn't want Beerus to be mad at them after all. The poor aliens looked frightened enough as it was.

Cringing, and pleading with his stomach to keep it down, the young saiyan slowly dragged the dessert towards him. It was slightly unnerving, having every pair of eyes upon him, but he attempted to shrug the feeling off, pressing the glass to his lips and taking a deep breath before mimicking Beerus and pouring the lot into his awaiting mouth.

Instantly, his tastebuds were assaulted by the most foul thing he had ever tasted. It felt as though someone had emptied an entire vessel of table salt in his mouth along with the strongest drain cleaner known to man. The substance was sticky and gloopy, sticking to the roof of his mouth and making it difficult to swallow. He could have sworn that the purple goop was actually crawling by itself, coating his tongue and refusing to go down his throat.

"Something the matter Gohan?" Beerus asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

Gohan vigorously shook his head in response, though all this did was make him feel incredibly sick. He turned green, though finally managed to force the sticky jelly down, swallowing hard, his breathing coming up short.

"W-water!" the halfling croaked desperately, forgetting just where he was as all the moisture from his mouth disappeared, only to be replaced by the taste of salt and grease.

At once, an attendant ran over with a large jug of water and a glass. Though the teen all but grabbed the entire jug and downed it in one, uncaring that some of the liquid spilled out from the sides of his mouth and onto his new garb. He wiped his tongue desperately with his hand when he had finished, tossing the jug over his shoulder where a frantic attendant caught it before it hit the ground, and unable to find a napkin, proceeded to wipe his mouth frantically with the table cloth.

A small chuckle reached his ears, causing him to finally look up, the sick feeling he was experiencing only intensified when he realised that the aliens were staring at him in utter horror.

Beerus continued to chuckle at the sight of the disgusted half-saiyan, before addressing the King once more, "It looks like you have served something to our new junior destroyer that is not to his liking."

"P-please, I'm sure if Lord Gohan would like to try-!" The King started, but was cut off by the destroyer God raising a finger.

"Do not trouble yourself Hoggart, I think we've seen enough," said Lord Beerus, causing the King to tremble with fear, "But count yourself lucky that my successor and I have disagreed slightly in our inspection today. He thought your food was disgusting, whereas I thought it was acceptable. For that, I'll only take half."

"H-Half my Lord?" King Hoggart asked wearily, though Beerus didn't answer, instead Gohan watched in confusion as he tapped his finger upon the table, sending a ripple of purple energy throughout the entire hall.

Before the young saiyan knew what was happening, an enormous pressure filled the air and the entire planet began to shake. The next thing he was aware of, he had been teleported out of the castle, and reappeared in space along with Whis and Lord Beerus, floating before the planet that they had been on a split second beforehand.

Gohan's eyes widened in horror as the entire planet split completely down the centre, and half of it exploded without warning in a shower of blinding light and smoke, sending debris out into the galaxy.

The young teen couldn't believe his eyes, anger swelled in his chest as he rounded upon Beerus, "What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"You were displeased," the deity shrugged indifferently, his dark eyes reflecting the explosion, "Believe me if _I_ was displeased then we would be looking at nothing but space dust."

"W-what?!" Gohan cried, "You can't just go around blowing people up because you didn't like the way their food tasted!"

Beerus turned fully to him, his stare hardening, "Listen here brat, first off you do not tell me what I can and can't do. Second of all, I've done this galaxy a favour. The Butarians have threatened the balance of the universe on multiple occasions, they have waged wars upon other planets with races weaker than theirs for centuries. They are far from good citizens, did you not notice how the King's palace was so grand and the rest of his kingdom practically barren? His people live in poverty due to his overspending on weaponry and sending armies to destroy other planets. Should they step out of line again, I'll make no hesitation to destroy the rest of their world."

"B-but there has to be another way surely?!" the teenager mustered, "Aren't we just as bad as they are if we go around blowing up their planets?!"

"We are _destroyers_ ," Beerus spat, "Not prison guards or politicians. Your duty is to maintain the balance of the universe by destroying those who threaten the universal balance, you protect it _by_ destroying. Gods aren't saints, we have a job to do, and it's time you got it through that thick skull of yours before I have to beat it into you."

Gohan snapped his mouth shut, though he was still scowling. Beerus was correct in what he was saying, that he was a destroyer not an all out protector. He couldn't do one without the other. But still, something just didn't sit right with him. Luckily, before the destroyer God could shout at him anymore, did Whis interrupt them.

"I think we've had enough for one day," the Angel said almost tentatively, "Let's get you both home, I think we're all in need of some proper sustenance."

The bright light of The Warp encompassed them once more, and in a flash they disappeared, leaving the severed planet and it's broken remains behind them.

Gohan went straight to his chambers as soon as they landed back on Beerus' world, now empty and devoid of laughter and banter. He slumped on his bed, the sleeping quarters now eerily quiet. His shoulders felt heavy, as he brushed his messy spikes away from his eyes. Doubt creeping in once more.

Had he picked the right thing?

He had been so shocked, yet ecstatic when he had freed the Z-Sword. He had proven every single one of the other recruits wrong, excelled in everything he had come across in his training here. And yet… he was still troubled. It was obvious that Lord Beerus thought that he needed to toughen up, the Butarians weren't exactly model citizens after all. But Gohan didn't feel comfortable with the deity just blowing up half of their planet like that. No matter how bad they were.

He sighed, the sickly feeling in his stomach causing it to churn like no tomorrow, and he was certain that it wasn't just the after effects of that disgusting jelly he had eaten on Planet Buta.

Deciding he was better off letting out some frustration rather than wallowing in self pity, the young saiyan jumped from his bed and grabbed the Z-Sword from where it rested against the wall beside his dresser and carried it with some difficultly out into the courtyard. Whis may have had some special training lined up for him with the legendary sword, but Gohan was indeed to eager to wait for that. The only thing he had managed to do with it was lift and carry it due to its enormous weight. Though the teenager reasoned that Whis' training may be more successful if he had already mastered how to wield it without falling over.

The sky was dark now, night had fallen, the distant stars and planets illuminating Gohan's path as he walked further down the path and into the overgrowth where he could be certain that he wouldn't get caught by Whis or Lord Beerus. He didn't want to get a scolding for training without their permission.

Finding a clearing, the young saiyan set to work, taking off his ceremonial cloak and hanging it over the hilt of the sword, the sharp point embedded into the grass. He stretched and warmed up by performing a few katas and shadow boxing. Once he got his adrenaline pumping, Gohan grabbed the Z-Sword and swiped it through the air with some difficulty, the weight almost causing him to topple over backwards when he lifted it high into the air. Putting his weight behind it, the halfling gritted his teeth, slashing and swiping through the air, and was please to find that he was seeing a little improvement as the hours slipped by.

He wasn't entirely certain just how long he had spent training, but he was certainly feeling the impact of it. His muscles were aching, his entire body dripping with sweat and his hair even messier than before due to the amount of times that he had ran his fingers out of it in an attempt to keep the mane from falling into his eyes.

Hours after he began, did he feel a small presence watching him from the shadows. Though as soon as he noticed it was it gone, causing the halfling to shrug it off without a second thought, turning his full focus to his training.

Gohan woke up the next morning feeling groggy, his muscles ached unforgivingly due to the intense workout he had put himself through with the Z-Sword overnight. After the Oracle Fish had left him with his thoughts, the young saiyan had decided to continue training for a little longer, only deciding that maybe he should go to bed when the sky steadily started to brighten.

He hadn't gotten enough sleep that was for certain, though apparently Whis was none the wiser, and even if he was he didn't seem to care that he was invading his sleeping quarters not long after the young saiyan had gone to bed, setting off an abundance of sand timers in order to rouse the boy from his slumber.

"Wake up sleepy head!" Whis sang, before setting off another sand bomb that exploded in a blinding white light, sending another tremendous aftershock through the chamber and blowing Gohan's sheets completely off his bed.

The teenager groaned heavily, creaking open an eyelid only to be greeted by his master's smiling face.

"Good grief you're worse than Lord Beerus to rouse nowadays," the Angel chuckled heartily, "It must be all of those teenage hormones of yours."

"Are you done mocking me?" Gohan growled, still half asleep.

"Snappy too," Whis giggled with glee, "Would you look at that! Sure signs that you're growing up young one."

The young halfling groaned again, sitting upright in bed and attempting to blink the sleep from his eyes, "What time is it?"

"Time you were up and out of bed junior destroyer," said Whis, "We have many things to get on with today, so you'd better be quick about it and get showered and dressed.

"Is it more planets that need to be 'taken care of'?," he asked glumly, causing his mentor to smile.

"No not at all," he replied, "Though you'd better stop with that little attitude of yours mister or we'll leave you behind today, I doubt Lord Beerus will stand for it."

"Sorry," Gohan said meekly, "I'm just tired is all."

"I would think so," Whis said knowingly, "What with you training until the crack of dawn last night."

The teenager gaped, "W-What? How did you-?"

"I think parents on your world would call it having 'eyes in the back of their heads'," the Angel laughed, "And I would have to too, what with a young half-saiyan running around the planet."

Gohan sweated nervously, he didn't look like he was going to be getting away with a lot where Whis was concerned.

"Not that I mind you training of course," said Whis almost proudly, "In fact, I think it's wonderful that you took the initiative to get used to the way the Z-Sword handled before we began training with it to it's full potential."

"Thank you Master Whis," the teen saiyan implored, glad that he wasn't in trouble.

The blue-skinned deity smiled, "Now are you ready for your first full day of being a junior destroyer?"

He gulped, then nodded fiercely, "As ready as I'll ever be."

"That's the spirit!" the Angel chimed, "I'll meet you in the meadow in ten takks!"

Gohan sighed as Whis teleported away, yawning widely and giving his body a good stretch before he got ready for the day. Once showered and dressed, he headed to the dining hall where an enormous breakfast was awaiting him. With his belly full of good food and feeling a little more chipper, the young saiyan made his way to the meadow, where Whis and Lord Beerus were already waiting for him.

"Are you excited for your first training session as an official destroyer Gohan?" asked Whis pleasantly, eyeing the Z-Sword he had brought with him.

He nodded eagerly. Morals aside, the teenager was rather looking forward to more training, he was eager to see just what techniques Whis had in store for him to learn.

"Excellent," said the Angel, smiling, "I've asked Lord Beerus to help us with today's session, as you'll be learning about the energy of destruction, or Hakai as it is known amongst the Gods. You saw Lord Beerus demonstrate only a mere faction of that power yesterday on Planet Buta."

Gohan grimaced slightly, though he tried not to let it show on his features as Whis continued.

"Energy of destruction is very difficult to master and control," he informed him, "The energy itself is stemmed from hate and rage within a persons heart, fuelled by grief and fear. It is one of the very reasons that Gods of Destruction were previously mortal, as such qualities are abundant amongst mortals. Hakai is formed by everything negative in the universe in order to be able to destroy, whereas the opposite applies to the Gods of Creation, they use positive energy to create. Does that make sense Gohan?"

"It does yeah," the young saiyan replied, "But I don't really feel any of that stuff towards anyone. How can you be so sure that I can create it? Didn't you once say that my heart was pure?"

"Ah you see, you misunderstood my dear boy," said Whis, "For although you have pure intentions, you carry all of those qualities within you from all of those horrific experiences you have endured in your mortal life. Your childhood was not a happy one, different than that of any other Earthling. You were the first half-saiyan to be born after all, that in itself must have been difficult, your super saiyan transformations alone are triggered by rage and grief, and you transformed so young too. Think about it, look deep inside of yourself, how did you cope with balancing your warrior blood with that of your gentle human nature?"

He paused, as Gohan became deep in thought. He reflected on his childhood, where everything had been so peaceful and happy until he was four years old. Images of him being kidnapped by his deranged uncle flashed within his mind, the sound of his fathers screams as he was tortured to within an inch of his life echoed like a ghost in his ears. He remembered the gripping fear taking hold of him when Nappa charged. Piccolo's death, Krillin's death, Frieza's laughter, Cell's taunting, death, death and more death. He remembered the agonising grief he felt as his father said goodbye for the last time, the hatred towards himself, the all encompassing rage.

He felt as though he had disappointed them, his mother and father both. Where his father wanted him to be a great fighter like him and protect the world, his mother wanted him to become an academic so that he could have a stable life and keep out of danger. But what was a young boy supposed to do with such power and smarts? How could he do both? But none of that mattered if Cell was going to blow the whole planet up anyway, his parents dreams for him would never come true.

And they still wouldn't. Fate was funny like that. For now Gohan had chosen his own path, chosen something that was never apart of his parent's plans. The grief, fear and guilt of leaving Earth still remained, the constant doubt of whether or not he had chosen the right thing to do still lingered. He had never gone against his parents wishes before after all, brought up in a household of discipline, stemming from both his mother's royal roots and his father's martial arts. For the first time in a long time, he wondered how they were doing back on Earth without him, which only seemed to solidify Whis' theory.

Oh yes, those feelings were there alright. Buried deep within his heart but burning true all the same.

"That's it Gohan, remember those feelings," Whis said gently, reading his thoughts, "Now, try to concentrate that negativity into a fixed point, allow it to rise up from within, and slowly let it out."

Gohan breathed deeply, attempting to let down the walls that he had built up around his heart. It was difficult, though a swell of golden energy burst to life around his frame, much like his super saiyan aura, which Whis caught onto straight away.

"Better, better," he nodded, "But try not to let the trigger for your super saiyan transformation take over. This is something different. Try to push more of the fear and grief into it instead of rage."

It was agonising, having to relive every painful memory. He didn't want to feel this way, his instinct was to push the negativity back down, but he forced it forward, letting it come forth and out of his body like energy. At once, his golden aura turned into a deep purple, small purple particles lifting off his body in waves and up into the air.

"Well done," his mentor's soft voice penetrated through the darkness, "Now try to concentrate it into a fixed point. The palm of your hand is the easiest."

The young saiyan gritted his teeth, it was so hard! He concentrated more desperately than he had done in his entire life, focusing the negative energy towards his fist. Where, slowly but surely, a small fist-sized sphere appeared in the palm of his hand, swirling with black particles of dark matter. The power emitting from the sphere was extraordinary, but dark, so dark that the halfling couldn't believe that it was _he_ that had created it.

No sooner had he opened his eyes to marvel at the energy, did it disappear and Gohan's legs buckled underneath him. He panted, trying to steady himself as his energy suddenly drained from the amount of negativity that had erupted from his Ki.

"Well I have to say," said Lord Beerus, looking mildly impressed, "I didn't think a soft hearted cry baby like you could manage it. And you produced a sphere of destruction energy on your first try too."

"Y-you feel _that_ every time you have to use that energy?" Gohan asked, his head still reeling.

Beerus shrugged, "You get used to it. Those feelings won't bother you after you've fully mastered it."

"Was that a compliment I heard from you my Lord?" Whis chuckled, causing the God to scoff.

"As if!" He growled, "I was merely pointing out the fact that he wasn't _entirely_ useless!"

"Whatever you say my Lord," sighed the Angel, before turning to Gohan, "Gohan, now you have seen how to obtain the Hakai, I want you to practise bringing it out until you have mastered it. This energy, once mastered can erase anything or anyone from existence. However, other godly or powerful entities can destroy it also. It can also be used as a barrier, the aura you created around your body if strong enough, can destroy everything it touches. All energy attacks weaker than the user dissipate out of existence, thus protecting the user from any damage that they might have sustained from the attack."

The young teen's eyes widened as he clambered back to his feet, "It sounds insanely powerful."

"You have to be powerful to use it," said Beerus, "But the stronger you become, the stronger your Hakai will be also."

"Would you like to try and use it?" asked Whis, looking pointedly over at a nearby tree that was old and withered, "That tree is dying already, why don't you put it out of it's misery and destroy it?"

Gohan blinked, hesitating as the deities watched him intensely.

Lord Beerus rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Oh for Zalama's sake! We're not asking you to go ahead and destroy a planet already boy! It's a damned tree, already on it's way out! This is mere child's play."

The teenager scowled, before a reassuring smile from Whis gave him the boost of confidence he needed. After all, what sort of a destroyer God would he be if he couldn't master the energy of destruction?

With a heavy sigh, Gohan lost himself within his dark memories, concentrating on bringing them to the surface. It happened a lot quicker this time, the Hakai gathered in his palm, swirling with dark energy, growing much bigger than before. He could feel the sheer magnitude of power pulsating in his palm, sending ripples of negative energy across the meadow.

"Excellent," he heard Whis say gently, "Now direct that energy towards the tree, concentrate on it's life force, it's small but it's still there. You did to _will_ it away Gohan, wish it from existence whilst reciting the word 'Hakai'. Take your time, my boy."

The young saiyan focused hard on the dying tree, fighting against the darkness that was threatening to engulf him. With he shuddering breath, his eyes hardened, and for the first time Gohan let the word roll off his tongue, " _Hakai!"_

It felt foreign, alien even to wish something didn't exist anymore. But even still he released the blast from his palm and it illuminated the emerald grass in a harsh violet glow as it sped towards the mottled bark. He watched as is connected, and the old tree pulsated before dissipating in a spiral of purple particles, wiped from existence forever.

His knees suddenly buckled underneath him, his palms hitting the grass as the sweat rolled from his brow, his energy spent. Gohan panted, his arms shaking as he struggled to hold his own weight.

"Well now I certainly wasn't expecting that," Whis observed, blinking rapidly at the space where the tree used to be, "On your first try too, not even Lord Beerus managed that."

"Shut up!" the destroyer growled, though he couldn't hide the fact that he was rather impressed by the halfling.

The Angel smiled, as Gohan recovered, his head reeling, "Your talent never ceases to amaze me Gohan. How did it feel?"

"Weird," he replied, getting shakily to his feet, "I can't believe that I actually destroyed something."

"Well get used to it," said Beerus, "because that was only a taste of the power of Hakai. Tell me, do you feel guilty?"

"Not really," the young saiyan said honestly, "I mean, the tree was already dying I suppose."

"And that's exactly the right attitude to have," said Whis, "There must be a reasoning behind every destruction. You must always question your actions, wiping something from existence does not come lightly."

Gohan nodded in understanding as his mentor continued, "But for now we will take a break from the Hakai, it is very difficult to harness and control and I wouldn't want you to get worn out before our training session is over."

"I agree," said Lord Beerus, "That was more than enough for a suitable warm up, now I think it's time I tested you."

The young halfling's eyes widened, "T-Test me?"

"Why yes," Whis said with a smile, "It is only proper for the God you are destined to succeed to test your strength, and this is just the beginning. Lord Beerus is to become your new sparring partner, you can learn a great deal from him."

"S-spar?!" Gohan spluttered, the terror gripping at his chest like claws, "Y-you want me to _spar_ with Lord Beerus?!"

"What's the matter brat?" the deity snorted, "Surely you realise that to become my successor you have to reach a level of power that is equal to or above mine? We have a limited amount of time before my life cycle ends, so you'd better stop your snivelling and power up."

He gulped apprehensively, though he couldn't help but notice the darkness in Beerus' eyes as he spoke about his end, it seemed to solidify the reality that he really would be taking the deity's place in the order of the cosmos. He had a few centuries to reach Beerus' level of power, but still, he had to start somewhere right?

With that thought in might, the young saiyan grit his teeth before letting out a guttural roar, bringing every inch of his power flooding to the surface. His golden aura sprang to life, pulsating around his muscular frame as bolts of electricity jolted across his torso. His eyes turned a vibrant emerald green as his golden hair spiked and grew longer, reaching down to his ankles. His eyebrows disappeared altogether as his stare hardened, standing in all his super saiyan glory before the God of Destruction.

"Well, this is new," Beerus observed, "It looks like you've gained a fair amount of power from your time here, boy."

"This is what Gohan likes to call a super saiyan three my Lord," Whis informed him, "A level beyond which you have seen before in his fight against the android Cell."

"What a cheesy name," said the cat-like God, before addressing him, "and you think this poorly named form will be enough to go toe to toe against me?"

"I'm going to give it my best shot," Gohan stated boldly, as another bolt of lightening rippled across his aura.

"Very well," said Beerus, a smirk playing on his lips as he folded his arms across his chest, "Let's see what you've got, no holding back now."

With no time to waste, Gohan kicked off from the ground and careened towards his opponent, aiming a powerful punch straight for his head. Though to his surprise and utter horror, his fist was caught effortlessly by the awaiting God, halting Gohan's momentum in it's tracks. It was as though his hand was trapped in solid steel, as Beerus' mighty grip seemed to stop him from moving altogether.

"Oh come on," the deity said mockingly, "I thought you said you were going to try your best?"

The teenager growled, and in a burst of golden Ki, managed to free himself from the hold. Flipping over backwards with his long golden hair whipping wildly in the air, the young saiyan skidded to a halt before launching himself back towards Lord Beerus at a tremendous speed.

His deadly kick swiped through the space which the deity had previously occupied a split second before, and alas, he was nowhere to be found, and had seemingly disappeared in the blink of an eye. A small chuckle came from behind him, causing the halfling to whirl around, where a smirking Beerus stood unharmed.

Becoming frustrated, Gohan pushed his Ki a little higher, his golden aura sparking as he attacked his predecessor once more. To the halfling's great annoyance, and astonishment, he couldn't even hit him. Every kick, every punch, every well aimed blow was effortlessly dodged by the destroyer - and Lord Beerus wasn't even breaking a sweat. In fact, he looked bored.

"Stop dodging me and fight!" the young saiyan spat hotly, getting increasingly annoyed as Beerus ducked underneath his fist once more before letting out a yawn. The raging power of his super saiyan three transformation coursing through his veins certainly did not help his mood.

"If you showed me something worthy of a challenge boy then maybe I would have to actually lift a finger," he drawled, phasing out of the way of Gohan's elbow strike and reappearing a few feet away.

The teenager grit his teeth, relenting in the fact that he was dripping with sweat, panting relentlessly as he was quickly running out of stamina. The meadow was littered with holes and craters, one seemingly seemed to go straight through to the other side of the planet curtesy of Gohan's fist missing Beerus' head and connecting with the ground instead. Whis floated a ways above them, watching the fight with a stoic expression.

"You want something worth while then fine!" Gohan shouted suddenly, before blasting high into the air and cupping his hands to his side. If anything, this was certain to get Beerus to stop mocking him.

"Ka…meh…" he started to chant as the bright blue orb swelled in between his palms, though Lord Beerus merely looked up in curiosity.

"Ha…meh…"

The orb grew and grew, encompassing the entire planes in a vibrant blue and white hue. The young saiyan knew it was risky, to unleash a Kamehameha Wave whilst in this form, the sheer power of it would be enough to destroy the Earth ten times over by his reckoning. Still, this was Beerus the Destroyer he was up against. And he was expecting him to give it his all.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" A rip-roaring scream echoed over the planet as the blast erupted, heading straight for the deity.

The wave was enormous, eclipsing Beerus' world as Gohan poured every inch of his strength into the attack. With another bellow, the young saiyan cut off the blast for want of not destroying the planet. Though to his confusion, the beam of the Kamehameha seemed to swirl in motion as it reached Beerus, before coming to an abrupt stop.

The teenager's eyes widened, as the destroyer halted his attack with one clawed finger before it seemingly evaporated into thin air, as if Gohan had never unleashed it in the first place. Still reeling from shock, the young saiyan didn't notice that Beerus was no longer standing beneath him until he was right in front of his face.

He blinked, staring into the beetle black eyes of the God of Destruction as he spoke dangerously, "Allow me to show you the true power of a God."

Lord Beerus moved so fast that Gohan didn't even have time to contemplate just what was happening until the greatest pain he had ever felt hit him right between the eyes. It felt like his entire bones shook with the force, as Beerus had indeed flicked him in the forehead. But what looked like such a simple move was sheer agony for the young hybrid, and the move generated such force that he was sent flying through the skies at an impressive speed, before Beerus managed to halt him in his tracks by materialising behind him and delivering a fast chop to the neck which caused him to loose his transformation all together. Barely conscious, the Gohan was sent tumbling to the ground, where he landed in a pitiful heap, a crater forming rapidly around his broken body and sending mud and dirt flinging into the air.

Beerus landed at the foot of the crater, and was shortly joined by Whis, who peered at the dazed teenager with observant eyes.

"Well, I must admit that lasted longer than I thought, feeling gracious are we my Lord?"

The God snorted, "I just wanted to see what the brat was made of."

"Oh really?" Whis eyed him in amusement, "And what do you think?"

Lord Beerus sighed in distain, "He'll have to do I suppose, but he needs work."

"Owwwwww."

The deities looked towards the whimpering halfling in the crater, who was steadily coming to, though he couldn't find the will or energy to move his arms or legs, his body practically embedded into the ground. Blood dripped unforgivingly from his mouth, and his body was littered with several cuts and bruised, his ceremonial garb dirt laden and torn to shreds.

Beerus tutted haughtily at the sight, "You deal with this. I'm bored, I'm going for a nap."

"I'll wake you up at lunchtime Lord Beerus, we wouldn't want you sleeping in again what with so much to teach our new junior destroyer," Whis told his retreating form, though Beerus merely raised a hand in affirmation before settling himself down on the grass a few feet away, folding his arms underneath his head and resting his eyes.

The Angel sighed as he turned his attention back to the crater, watching as Gohan attempted to open his eyes, though the young saiyan was wincing too much in pain.

"Now this just won't do," said Whis, and with a quick wave of his staff was the teenager fully healed, even his clothes were restored to their full grandeur.

Gohan sprang up almost immediately, his onyx eyes darting around him as he looked down at his healed body. After clenching and unclenching his fists a few times, the young saiyan steadily got to his feet, where the shock of Lord Beerus' strength appeared to hit him full force.

"What the bloody _hell_ was that?!" he cried, causing his mentor to tut at his outburst.

"Please do mind your language Gohan."

"Sorry," he apologised quickly, before he spluttered, "But I mean _how_?! I knew Lord Beerus' strength was far beyond mine but I couldn't even _touch_ him!"

"Do not let it discourage you young one," said Whis with a small smile, "Lord Beerus has been training for millions of years. If anything, your sparring session this morning should give you something to work towards, to aspire to."

"But master Whis," he started, "I don't think I'll-"

"Always with the seed of doubt," the Angel interrupted, "Do you honestly think that I would have hand picked you if I didn't think that one day you could be as strong as or even surpass Lord Beerus?"

Gohan hesitated,"…No."

"Well then, that's that discussion over with I think," said Whis, nodding curtly, his ever observant eyes settling on the Z-Sword which was laying near a boulder from where it had toppled over due to the force of Gohan and Beerus' spar, "Why don't we spent the rest of the day training with the Z-Sword? I have to say I am rather excited to see how it handles."

The teenager nodded enthusiastically, eager to show his mentor what he had achieved with the sword so far when he stopped short. The glistening hilt glinted in the sunlight that encompassed Beerus' world, and for a moment Gohan could have sworn that he saw something looking back at him in the reflection of the blade as he bent down to grab it.

As always, Whis caught onto the halfling's sudden change in demeanour, "Something wrong Gohan?"

He shook himself mentally, though he couldn't help but tell Whis about something that had been bothering him ever since he had freed sword from stone. At first he had thought that he might have sounded crazy, but even still, it might be worth mentioning.

"I heard a voice."

Whis blinked, "A voice?"

"Yeah," said Gohan, "Yesterday, in the Kai's realm before I pulled out the Z-Sword, I heard a voice when I came near it. Something told me to turn into a super saiyan and believe in myself."

He watched his mentor carefully, who looked a little taken aback at first, before a great smile drew across his lips, "How extraordinary. That certainly is something."

"I thought I was going crazy," the young teen informed him, "But I heard it a couple of times. Was it something on the Kai's world? Or do you think I was just hearing things?"

"Who knows?" Whis shrugged happily, "Are you quite certain you heard it?"

"Well uh," replied sheepishly, mistaking his master's gleeful attitude for amusement. He suddenly felt stupid for even mentioning it, "I think so, though I might have still been tired from the battle with Scurge."

"Quite right, that is also a possibility," the blue-skinned deity nodded, before briskly moving on, "Now the sword, how does it feel."

"Still a little heavy," Gohan said honestly, "But I don't think it'll take long to get used to the weight."

"That's the spirit," said Whis, smiling, "I believe that you'll get stronger just by training with it alone, but you see the Z-Sword has another useful property that I think will become very useful should you ever need to use it in a fight or in battle."

The teenager quirked an eyebrow, as the Angel continued, "Do you remember what I told you about the legend of the Z-Sword Gohan?"

"Um, something about the two becoming one weapon, capable of cutting down the mightiest of foes?"

"Correct," Whis nodded, "The sword has many special qualities that you will learn about with time, though one of them I think is best learned as quickly as possible in order to help you master the might of the Z-Sword."

Gohan blinked, he certainly had a lot of homework to do, and something told him that getting beaten up by Beerus was going to be a regular occurrence.

"Because you freed the Z-Sword with such ease, I have no doubt that mastering this technique will come easily to you," said Whis, as the teenager listened intently, "It is true that the wielder becomes one with the legendary sword, and as such has the ability to summon it at will, despite how far away the wielder is from it, even across dimensions. It is drawn to you whenever you need it, all you have to do his outstretch your wielding hand and summon it with your mind. If it is already bound you, then it will come."

"Woah!" Gohan said in amazement, "That's wicked!"

"Indeed," his mentor chuckled, "Want to give it a go?"

"Yeah!" the child in him practically squealed in excitement, it sounded so cool.

"Well then, go ahead," said Whis, stepping to the side and allowing the teen to throw the relic as hard as he could.

He watched it go, speeding across the meadow and off into the distance towards the dark forest that surrounded Beerus' castle. He was rather impressed with himself, all that training he had done last night had certainly paid off, especially when he had struggled to even lift it yesterday morning.

Whis signalled he was allowed to call the sword back to him with a brisk nod, and Gohan eagerly outstretched his right hand. Nothing happened for a good few seconds, and the young saiyan started to feel a little disappointed when a loud whistling reached their ears. His onyx eyes widened, as the Z-Sword, in all his shining glory, hurtled back towards him at break neck speeds, slicing through the air and causing the teen to brace himself.

He started to panic, as the ancient relic was showing no signs of slowing down. Whis seemed to notice this to, his eyes darting from the rapidly approaching sword to the distressed halfling, "Gohan, try to slow it down with your mind or else -!"

**BOOM!**

It was too late, as the hilt of the Z-Sword collided with his chest, clotheslining the poor teenager right off his feet. The sheer weight of the relic knocked all the air out of his lungs, and that accompanied by the momentum sent him flying off into the distance where he crashed unceremoniously through a row of mountains with a serious of sonic booms, sending clouds of ash and dust exploding into the air as he went.

Whis winced with each mountain that Gohan collided with, until he finally came to a halt deep within the valley.

"Oh dear," said the Angel, his eyes reflecting the building dust clouds, "We'll have to work on that."

Lord Beerus snorted from the ground next to him, having not even opened an eyelid despite the destruction that young Gohan had caused around them.

"No kidding."

* * *

_Originally posted on 9th July, 2018._


	8. The Super Saiyan God

**The Sacred Realm of The Kai's, Age 775 - Eight years after The Cell Games**

"Kibito, do you feel that?"

The red-skinned assistant deity observed his master, Shin, very carefully as he addressed him. The Supreme Kai had been standing stoic for quite a while now, his dark eyes surveying the violet skies above them. After all his years of dutiful service, Kibito was wise enough to know when something was troubling his superior, and judging by the way his jaw tensed, coupled by the bead of sweat that trickled down his brow, it was certainly something quite disturbing.

Kibito sighed heavily in affirmation, "I'm afraid so master, but is it really what I think it is?"

Confirming his fears, the Kai nodded solemnly, "I believe so my old friend. He is gaining strength."

Kibito gulped down the lump in his throat, "B-but how is that even possible? The Void is an impenetrable force of emptiness, how can someone gain strength surrounded by nothingness? Especially after all this time?"

"I don't know," Shin said wearily, though he attempted to keep his voice as steady as possible, "But if what we are sensing is sound in it's truth, then we must warn the lower Kais."

"Master, forgive me, but do you think that we should worry them about this so soon? The revelation could unnerve them, it wouldn't do well for the Gods to descend into chaos," said Kibito tentatively, his brow etched with worry.

"After Majin Buu I think it would be wise for us not to take any chances," The Kai replied darkly, "If Perses should escape then it could mean the end of this universe, along with countless others."

"And Lord Beerus?" asked Kibito, "Should we trouble him with this too?"

The Creation God shook his head, "I have no doubt that he or Whis have already sensed it. Though I cannot speak for their Junior Destroyer, at this point it is not imperative that he knows. He is extremely powerful yes, but he is not yet within the realms of Perses. There would be not much he or even we could do at this point. Though it is best to be on our guard."

His assistant nodded in agreement, before becoming dreadfully silent. Though his ever observant master was quick to notice the sudden tension that filled the air.

"Kibito," The Supreme Kai started, his beetle black eyes surveying him curiously, "I see that it is not just our predicament that troubles you. Come now, what ails you so?"

Kibito swallowed, "I must admit that I remain conflicted over our decision not to tell Goku and our friends on Earth the truth about the Junior Destroyer, especially after they managed to successfully destroy Majin Buu with only our guidance to aid them."

The deity looked away, prompting Kibito to panic slightly, "Master, I did not mean to cross a line-"

Shin sighed at this, cutting the red-skinned man short, "I stand by my decision, as harsh as it may seem. Son Gohan cannot come back to Earth since he is bound to the Gods. To his family and friends he is as good as dead."

Kibito listened intently, his hands clasped tightly behind his back as his master continued.

"Call it selfish of me, but if Goku had known of his son then he would have been more focussed on trying to find him instead of putting an end to Majin Buu. Granted, I failed to make the connection between Goku's lost son and the new Junior Destroyer until Piccolo approached me at the tournament. Knowing who I was, he was so certain that I knew of Gohan's whereabouts, or certainly of a place where the dragonballs could not reach him."

The red-skinned deity closed his eyes in understanding and nodded firmly.

"It was not easy to lie to them Kibito, especially as they are still very much grieving for the loss of their young friend, but there are some things better left only to the Gods knowledge," said The Supreme Kai, turning back towards the violet sky as a shooting star shot through the distant atmosphere overhead.

"It was the same reason why I was so reluctant to involve the Earthlings in the first place," Shin continued, looking out at the stars, "Though because I had already sent The Supreme Guard into the deepest depths of the known universe looking for the cause of this sudden surge of dark energy I had no other choice but recruit Earth's mightiest warriors."

"A wise decision Master," Kibito replied, bowing his head in respect.

"It did all seem to work out rather swimmingly," he chirped with a wry smile, before casting his gaze afar once more, "I do hope they return safely, they have been gone for quite some time. Though I have had no alert to any danger."

"On the contrary," the assistant said knowingly, "The Supreme Guard have been highly trained by yourself and the Grand Kai personally. They have come a long way in such a short space of time, I am certain that they will return with some sort of clue for us at least."

"Perhaps," said the Creation God, with only the smallest hint of hope in his tone, "Though I think it wise to keep the true purpose of their mission a secret for now. The less that know about Perses, the better - until the time is right of course, although I'm praying that we will never have a need."

"As you wish," said Kibito with a bow.

"Thank you Kibito," The Supreme Kai smiled, though a sadness lingered in his eyes, haunting shadows of a battle long ago seemed to dance within the iris'.

"Come, let us contact the lower Kais."

* * *

**Lower Kai's World, North Galaxy**

This was bad. This was very very bad.

Of course, he had thought that his day couldn't get any worse when Goku of all people had turned up unannounced for a spot of training that morning. He had only just managed to fix the roof of his house from the last time his former student and decided to 'drop in and say hi' as he called it. King Kai knew differently after all, he could see right through that wayward ruffian. The cheeky grin and charming remarks couldn't fool him after all, for the impromptu visits to his small world had become a regular occurrence over the past eight years.

Goku had maybe thought that he wasn't being that obvious, for the loveable lug was not certainly the type for thinking, especially when it came to what people thought about him. Although it had been strange for the North Kai when the saiyan had appeared out of thin air one day about a year after The Cell Games, asking if it would be alright to use his newly revived planet to train on.

King Kai had questioned the man at first, but had obliged him none the less. He had nothing left to teach Goku after all, save for _manners_ whilst eating, but fighting wise Goku had by far surpassed every student he had ever had. The Kai didn't believe the sordid excuse of 'well, your planet has ten times the gravity of Earth! What better way to get in some high intensity training?' After all, he knew that the Earthling Bulma had advanced her technology so much so that he could train at gravity levels far beyond what his planet could offer. Though he couldn't bring himself to question him any further, for behind the charming smile and nervous laughter was there a pleading look, a desperate man who just needed to escape the real world if for just an afternoon.

Although his former student would never admit it, King Kai could see that what had happened at The Cell Games had changed him. He had felt it after all, the very moment that Goku's son's life energy disappeared altogether, his soul completely vanishing off the map. King Kai didn't understand just what had happened at first, but soon it had become all too clear. Souls didn't just disappear for no reason after all, the laws of the cosmos didn't allow it. Oh yes, Son Gohan's soul had been chosen for a higher purpose, one that wasn't surprising seen as he had displayed strengths like none other he had seen before in his long life span, though the purpose wasn't all that obvious back then.

Though King Kai would never forget the look on Goku's face when the dragon Shenron informed them that his young son could not be brought back to life. The fact that his son had even died at all had certainly been a shock, he had felt Cell's life snuff out and had been too busy celebrating with Gregory and Bubbles to notice that his son had also perished. He had dropped them from where he was nearly suffocating them in a bear hug when Piccolo had practically screamed the news at him. His entire demeanour did a complete three-sixty, his voice shook, his eyes welled with tears but the stubborn saiyan refused to let them fall in front of his former master. Though it didn't matter just how strong he was, Goku was a parent that had just lost a child, and never, ever had he seen the man look so distraught.

After he had asked Dende to wish him back with the Namekian dragonballs, Goku fell to his knees, his resolve broken, his angered fists breaking the tiles apart beneath him. It practically took all of King Kai's sanity to get him to stop transforming right there in the check-in station. He screamed in frustration and grief, his hair flashing from black to gold and back again, his emerald eyes alight with pure rage and despair.

_"Gohan wasn't supposed to die! My **son** King Kai! My son is gone! Dead! H-how could I have let this happen?!"_

Goku's words seem to echo in his mind long after Porunga had summoned him back to the living world, and the North Kai watched the Earthlings for a while. He didn't know what had possessed him to do so so much, though he supposed he had a duty to watch over them as much as every other planet in the Northern Galaxy. That, and it certainly gave him something to do for a year until he, his planet and companions could be wished back to life by the Earth dragonballs. He was thankful that Goku had remembered to do so, as he had been worried about him ever since he had returned to Earth. The saiyan was certainly not himself, he had fell hard into a deep rooted obsession, hell bent on finding his lost son. He spent more time away from his pregnant wife and more time at The Lookout with Dende and Mister Popo, looking through thousands of ancient scriptures in an attempt to find answers. He had even gone off into space for a time, in a desperate attempt to see if his son just happened to be hiding amongst the stars. All of his training had seemed to have come to complete halt.

That had changed however, at the birth of Goku's second son. The baby boy seemed to have given the saiyan a new lease of life, of which he was in desperate need of. Slowly, but surely, his training resumed and it wasn't long after he had sort out King Kai again did Goku regain the spring in his step, though it was obvious to anyone that he was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that his first born was gone forever.

Even though the rest of the Z-gang had seemingly moved on with their lives, started families, opened dojo's and gotten new jobs, Gohan's short eleven years on the planet had certainly left a lasting impression on his family and friends. Grief made people do funny things, North Kai had already surmised that by the thousands of years he had spent watching over the galaxy, so it was really no surprise when Goku resumed his old obsession and continued getting stronger. Vegeta too, not one for being left in the dust, especially his rival's, trained himself into the ground. The two seemed to have abandoned their old bloodthirsty rivalry and instead formed a new friendly one which involved sparring together regularly, even taking their young sons with them on occasion. It was no wonder that the Z-warriors managed to defeat Majin Buu just over twelve months ago, what with the heights of power they had achieved, especially Goku, Vegeta and Piccolo. King Kai had theorised that they felt as though they owed it to young Gohan, to continue to protect the world that he had once saved yet left behind. It was truly touching to see them all fighting so valiantly together, though he could see that they were disappointed when The Supreme Kai had informed them he had never heard of this 'Son Gohan' they spoke of, nor had any idea how to reach him.

Of course, his benevolent superior had lied through his teeth, he had been doing the same thing ever since he found out the identity of the new junior Destroyer. In truth, he had been hearing whispers for a few years now, that Lord Beerus had been training a very young disciple who was to become his successor. King Kai didn't put two and two together at first, but the presence of the young destroyer quickly became hot gossip among deities, for the boy was incredibly powerful, so powerful that rumour had it he was able to pull the ancient Z-Sword from it's stoney prison. There had been numerous sightings of the destroyer in training with it strapped in a sheath on his back, even West Kai had swore on his life that he had seen him wielding the relic in a conflict in his own galaxy, and that was saying something, the Western guardian wouldn't swear on his living status for just anything. Apparently, according to East Kai, he was endearingly handsome, cheeky, charming and had a mischievous tendency for bending the rules. South Kai had vouched for his mischief, and had even seen the Angel Whis crack him across the back of his head from time to time with his sceptre for stepping out of line.

Still, North Kai had only made the connection when he had heard that he was half-saiyan. Now _that_ was something worth his annual meeting with the rest of his annoying colleagues. He was conflicted however, though decided it would be wise not to let on that he knew the whereabouts of Goku's son, or what he had become. Destroyers were the worst kind of deities in his opinion, even though they had a duty to maintain the balance of the universe, he knew all too well the destructiveness and mercilessness of Beerus' power. His planet wasn't always this small after all.

He wasn't entirely sure just how Goku would react to the news, though he had a hunch that he would be even more devastated to know that his beloved son had spent the last eight years wiping entire planets and races from existence. King Kai had wondered how someone seemingly as pure hearted as Goku could become a destroyer. Then again, if the monstrous power Gohan had displayed at The Cell Games were anything to go by, he shouldn't have been surprised. No wonder Cell had made such a desperate attempt to destroy the Earth, King Kai wouldn't want to have been on the other end of that boy's cold, malicious glare, even before he had tortured Cell within an inch of his life.

And so his former student had spent the last eight years blissfully unaware of what his son had become, and King Kai had intended to keep it that way, he just couldn't bring himself to break the man's heart even more. Though as usual, it wasn't always that simple. The North Kai sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose in despair. He had hoped that The Supreme Kai was contacting him for some other reason but impending doom - didn't anyone call just for a friendly chat nowadays?! But alas, the universe didn't stay peaceful for long, and his galaxy had only just recovered from Majin Buu.

He cast his gaze over to Goku who was busy training some feet away. Donned in a blue and white tracksuit with his symbol on the back, and a hundred ton weighted bands on each limb, the saiyan was quite unaware of his conversation with The Supreme Kai. Which could only be a good thing, for Goku seemed to embrace the concept of something like the universe imploding with an air of childish excitement. He and his friends would be the first to tangle themselves up in this mess.

Though the higher Kai had informed him that no action would be required as yet, certainly not until The Supreme Guard had returned from their venture. He gulped nervously, he really hoped that this increase in dark energy was nothing but a fluke, for if they were correct in their judgement and Lord Perses somehow escaped the void against all odds then it would surely mean the end of everything.

As powerful as Goku was, he wasn't sure that he could go up against a being of divine power. He doubted his son would last long either, for Lord Beerus barely managed to escape with his life after the epic battle that quite literally shook the universe over a thousand years ago.

"Phew, I think that's enough for one day!" came Goku's sudden holler, breaking him out of his thoughts.

The saiyan was smiling widely as he removed his weights, the force of which caused them to sink into the ground, creating huge holes in his garden. Though for once King Kai didn't have the heart to yell at him, unable to ignore the sadness that still lingered in those obsidian eyes.

"Come on lets go inside, I'm starving!" called Goku, rubbing his belly, "What do you say we grab some grub Bubbles?"

The monkey bounced up and down enthusiastically, following him eagerly into the little house. "Hurry up King," he whined from the kitchen, "I've got to eat quick or else Chi-Chi will be mad at me for being late for dinner!"

Gregory rolled his eyes from where he was sat outside, "If you're having food when you get home then why do you need to eat _our_ supplies?!"

"I just want a pre-dinner snack is all!"

"Unbelievable."

Goku ignored him, and the sound of clinking pots and pans could be heard, until the saiyan stuck his head out the window to look at him with a frown upon his features, "King Kai? Aren't you coming?"

He paused, fighting with himself once more. Though he managed to hold his tongue, reminded by the fact that he was bound to his duty once more.

"Why the long face?" Goku laughed, "You look as though the world's about to end or something!"

Then, just like that, his messy head disappeared back into the kitchen, where he continued to argue with Gregory and Bubbles over the mess he was surely making.

"I hope not Goku," King Kai sighed to himself, "I really hope not."

* * *

**The Table of Kings, Planet Lamorak, Deep South Galaxy**

A series of loud raucous bellows filled the room of an ancient castle, situated at the top of the tallest tower with views of blood red planet below. Planet Lamorak was famous in itself, a host to various blood thirsty battles over the years but now had more fame for the tornados and deadly hurricanes that ravaged the planet. The high winds howled as the skies were steadily getting darker, an indication that the occupants of the round wooden table had been arguing from quite some time. The splintered wooden depiction was central to the increasing tensions going on around it. Some chairs had been knocked over, tankards had been thrown and spilled, causing the sticky alcoholic substance to seep onto the stone floor. The rounded chamber was full of guards and warriors who had accompanied the Kings of their respective planets, all of them of different shapes and sizes. Some races were almost humanoid in their statue, others were short and stocky like goblins, whilst others looked like mutated octopuses. Though despite their obvious differences, every single one of them were involved in an all out brawl.

Their war cries and mighty roars rattled the window panes, echoing off of the old stone walls of the chamber that had been the holding point for their meeting. Paintings depicting old Kings had fallen to the floor, broken pieces of wood littered the ground, along with the unconscious bodies of some unfortunate souls. The sound of knuckles on bone and yelps of pain reached their ears, profanities were being screamed at one another in various different languages, one guard was gripping onto the window ledge for dear life for want of not falling to his death, whilst a King was currently strangling another King with a stolen tapestry.

Though there was one present who was not involved in the fight, a teenage boy in fact, who was merely observing the descending chaos with a bored expression. His chin resting on his hand as he remained in place at what was deemed the head of the table, judging by the size of the throne he was seated upon. He was a handsome young man in his late teens, and looked the sheer epitome of a warrior. He was tall, with large but lean muscles that were only exposed further by the deep blue garb he wore. It opened at the torso, which displayed rippling pectorals with several deep scars running over his upper body as though something with very large talons had sliced into the flesh. His arms were in no better condition, that and his calloused hands showed that he had seen his fair share of battle. His ebony hair was long and wild, reaching to his waist like a mane though he had tied it back with a golden clasp in a vain attempt to tame it. His eyes were just as dark as his hair, hardened with experience, though with a hint of mischief that one could not deny the young saiyan. The only oddity of his appearance was that of the shining golden halo above his head, for the teen was quite obviously dead. He tapped his foot in annoyance, his boot inches away from the shining sword that he had rested against the table leg. The ancient relic was just as important to him as his right arm, and went everywhere with him.

Son Gohan stifled a yawn. He was starting to think that this was a bad idea after all. They had been at this for hours, and the young halfling was getting increasingly bored. Not one of them had managed to come to any sort of agreement. He was actually starting to come round to Lord Beerus' reasoning in wanting the lot of them destroyed. The deep south of the universe was a cesspool for the unjust, full of thieves and murderers, slavery was the norm on some planets, along with drug trafficking, and an abundance of brothels and underground mobs. Most of it was ran by corrupted monarchies that were constantly at war with each other, and although not an immediate threat to the balance of the universe, Lord Beerus was tired of them festering up that part of the Southern Galaxy. That, and their food was tasteless and practically inedible.

Though despite this, Gohan wanted to hear them out, give the warring planets a chance to straighten themselves out before he had to wipe them from existence. That, and he wanted to prove to Lord Beerus and Whis that they didn't have to destroy _everyone_ that stepped out of line. His methods may have been questionable yes, but the young saiyan didn't care what they thought. Though sometimes he couldn't help but think that it would be easier if he did destroy them, this whole plan of his had completely backfired. Calling a meeting between the most corrupt Kings in the universe was perhaps not his brightest idea, hours of arguing about money, supplies, warriors, mobs and everything in between had now turned into an all out punching match. He didn't even want to imagine the look on Lord Beerus' face should he find out about his naive attempt at politics.

As a small member of the Gobalien race whizzed across the table in front of him with a dagger in between his teeth, Gohan let out another yawn. This time, a lot less subtle than the first. The sudden noise escaping the junior Destroyer caused the brawl to halt in it's tracks, all five Kings seemed to jump out of their skin, immediately reminded of just who was in their presence. At once, they dropped to their knees, along with their entourage, who practically trembled with fear.

"L-Lord Gohan!" A burley King spouted, his voice panic stricken, "My apologies your destructiveness, we er - we forgot you were here - not that your presence isn't unnerving, oh no far from it my liege! We were just-!"

"Save it," the destroyer in training sighed, running a had through his hair out of frustration, silencing him instantly whilst the others whimpered, "It's fine. Though we're not getting anywhere here, we're just going around in circles, and your little scrap isn't helping any either."

Tentatively they opened their mouths to protest, but Gohan held up a hand to silence them.

"The only reason I called this meeting was so that I could hear you out," he said in annoyance, his onyx eyes narrowing, "You're lucky that I'm not Lord Beerus or else this conversation wouldn't even be happening."

Simultaneously, the occupants of the room gulped.

"Look," the teenager sighed heavily, pointing to each individual King as he spoke, "All I'm saying is stop the fighting, stop trying to enslave other planets, control your armies, mobs and clean up your act. Further more, stop blowing things up. Do all that, and we're cool."

The Kings looked at each other apprehensively, having not understood the earthling terminology, "Cool? Lord Gohan?"

"Yeah cool, meaning I wont have to do this," he nodded, a glowing ball of dark purple energy growing at the tip of his finger before he flicked it into the air, whereby the entire roof and surrounding walls were destroyed dramatically in a shower of purple particles, "To you."

The cold winds erupted around them like a tremendous galeforce as they were no longer shielded by the high rising structure. The Kings and their companions cried out, squeaking and shivering with terror, grasping onto one another so that they didn't get blown from the platform and plunge to their death in the deep valley below them. They eyed the junior destroyer fearfully, as he spoke again. The roar of the tyrant like winds bellowing in their ears.

"So, are we done?"

"Y-yes my Lord!" they chorused, some of them sobbing.

"Great!" The young saiyan smiled happily, encasing the tower in a protective shield so that the roaring winds were no longer a danger. Some warriors toppled to the floor from where they had been grasping onto the table and remaining stone for dear life.

Though Gohan either didn't seem to notice or ignored them altogether as he produced some parchment seemingly from out of thin air, "Now, sign the treaty and shake hands."

The Kings looked at each other hesitantly, neither of them making a move. Sensing their reluctance, the teen saiyan glared, "Or do I have to destroy you?"

To his delight the warring Kings quickly shook hands, practically falling over themselves in a rush to sign the treaty that Gohan had placed on the table.

"See?" he grinned in triumph, his arms folded across his chest, "Isn't that better now that we're all friends?"

Though before they could answer, or grovel to him as was usually customary, a loud beeping sound reached his ears. With a quick flick of his wrist, the young saiyan materialised the now glowing round communicator his mentor had given him some years ago when he had been allowed to go on small ventures alone. Whis had told him that it was so that Gohan could contact him and Lord Beerus should he need assistance, but the young saiyan knew better by now, and given it's use over the years, it was mainly a ploy so that Whis could check up on him.

"Talk to me," Gohan stated cooly, and at once the glowing flash stopped, and in it's place appeared the smiling face of his mentor.

"Ah Gohan, have you destroyed Planet Lamorak and it's surrounding hub of criminal activity yet?" he asked.

"Nah," the teenager shrugged, feeling rather smug, "Didn't have to, they managed to work it out."

"WHAT?!" Came another voice, and soon enough Lord Beerus had pushed his snout into the frame, "'Worked it out'?! What, did you bake them fairy cakes and have a sing song around a camp fire?! You are literally the worst destroyer ever! And he's to be my _successor_?!"

The Destroyer continued his ranting as he promptly stomped away, causing both Gohan and Whis to chuckle at the display.

"W-was that L-Lord Beerus?" One of the Kings asked out of both awe and fear, looking up from where he was signing the treaty.

"Shh," Gohan scolded him, causing the man to squeak.

"That is excellent news Gohan," Whis praised him, "But how did you manage that? That part of the Southern Galaxy has been having the most vicious wars and who knows what other illegalities waging for decades."

"Ah, don't worry about it," he replied with a smirk, "They just needed a bit of gentle persuasion is all."

The Angel smiled in amusement, "Very well. I daresay you've worked up an appetite, dinner will be waiting for you when you get home my boy. I'll send The Warp right along in due haste. Please try not to jump off early to explore this time, I have something I need to discuss with you."

"Aw come on Master Whis you act like I run off all the time!" He chimed cheekily, causing his mentor to roll his eyes.

"I won't even warrant that with an answer," he sighed, "See you shortly."

"Righto!" said Gohan, switching off his communicator and vanishing it with a wave of his hand before snatching up the signed treaty and banishing it to a safe place also. Satisfied, he turned back to his audience with a hearty wink, but not before grabbing the Z-Sword and hoisting it over his shoulder, "Until the next time chaps. Don't go and step out of line again alright? Or else I'm going to have to destroy you!"

Their eyed widened in terror just as a brilliant white light engulfed the platform, and with that the junior Destroyer was gone, taking the protection from the raging winds with him.

"Did he just-?"

"BRACE YOURSELVES!"

* * *

**Lord Beerus' Planet, A Far Away Dimension, The Living World**

Gohan blinked the light out of his eyes as the The Warp disappeared and he was met by the foot of the enormous ageing tree that held the palace. He breathed in the air of the planet he had long called his home, which was much fresher compared to that of Planet Lamorak. Shaking his messy hair out of his eyes, the teenager couldn't help but allow a smile to grace his lips. He had had yet another successful venture, and couldn't wait to tease Lord Beerus about it. He was still a little scared of his power, obviously, though he had relished in the fact that his predecessor wasn't allowed to destroy him for want of the universe not imploding, so he was able to get away with tickling the sleeping Oozaru as it were, something that Whis was most amused by.

Time had moved forwards and showed no signs of stopping. Every day had seemed to mould themselves into one, as Gohan continued to push his body past it's limits. After his first sparring match with Lord Beerus, which in all honesty just classified as a beating, he came to realise that it was only the beginning, and the majority of his time would be spent with his face in the dirt.

Much to the young saiyan's chargin, other than his duties as a junior Destroyer, the rest of his endeavours included housekeeping and studying. Though occasionally he would be allowed to join The Supreme Guard on missions to keep his battle skills in check. He enjoyed the time he spent with his friends immensely, though they were few and far between. They were especially impressed with how much he had improved, though he was still no where near to even landing a hit on his predecessor, which Lord Beerus was particularly smug about. Occasionally Whis would join in the fray, and the young saiyan would stand no chance at all against the divine duo, winding up in a crater at the end of each session. Still, he enjoyed his sessions with his mentor, Whis was an incredibly good teacher, and seemed to notice things about Gohan that he didn't know himself, quick to stamp out his bad habits of fighting techniques he had become accustomed to when he had been alive. He had quickly come to know the ways of the universe, the order of divinity, the divine code, and various languages, laws and history. He had mastered techniques he had never even dreamed of, every day was like an adventure, and he never wanted it to end.

_"Hmph, looks like you're getting better at landing. It's been a while since you fell on your tailbone."_

Gohan rolled his eyes before shooting a glare at the Z-Sword in his palm, "Oh har har very funny. What, are you keeping score now or something?"

 _"Something like that,"_ The voice chuckled to himself, " _I have to entertain myself with something around here, watching you fall on your backside is the highlight of my day. Now you're getting better it's quite fun to keep a tally on how long it'll take you to do it again! Ooh I know how we can make it more interesting! Want to bet on it?"_

"Certainly not," the teenager griped, still scowling.

_"Spoil sport."_

Gohan sighed, proceeding to take the long route up the winding staircase imbedded into the ancient tree bark in order to admire the view. He had been right all that time ago, when he had successfully pulled the Z-Sword out of the stone, he _had_ heard a voice. It had took a good while for it to make itself known again, and the young saiyan thought that he was going crazy when he had heard it again. But alas, the voice seemed to get stronger and stronger the more he mastered the Z-Sword, and now it was a pretty much constant in Gohan's life. He had attempted to talk to Whis about the mysterious voice inside the sword at first, though his mentor had always brushed it aside with a 'well how fascinating' or a chuckle before moving swiftly on. The voice, or just Z as Gohan liked to call him was just as cryptic when he had asked just how he could speak to him. All the teen had found out was that Z was a celestial being that had somehow gotten himself fused with the sword, and his entity lived within. That was as much as he would let on until 'the time was right', whatever that was all about. Though it was odd that Gohan was the only person that could hear Z, but he tried not to let it bother him too much, and surmised that it must be something do to with him becoming at one with the ancient relic. Though it wasn't much solace, as Z had become a sarcastic, sometimes rather imposing thorn in his side.

 _"You always ruin my fun,"_ Z huffed, as Gohan continued up the vertical incline.

"How so?" the teen asked, readying himself for another sarcastic comment.

" _Oh I could write a book! But how's about we start with a more recent one, when you practically sprinted out of that all female bath house last week?!"_

The young Destroyer cleared his throat awkwardly, a blush marring his cheeks, as he hissed, "I didn't know it was a female bath house! I couldn't read the signs! I only went there because I was all bloody and filthy from the battle with the Hydra!"

_"Then maybe you should have brushed up on your Faithe language matey, because it was clearly marked 'females only' above the door. And if that wasn't enough then the women in towels should have been a sure sign."_

Gohan's blush grew deeper, "I said I was sorry, and how on earth does me walking in on a load of bathing Faithesia matter to you?"

" _I'm just saying you could have finished your bath at least, I was rather enjoying the view around you."_

The teenager scoffed, "You're a pervert."

_"And? You're a nutter."_

"How so?"

_"Well you're the one talking to an inanimate object."_

"You spoke to me first!" Gohan protested hotly, as Z paused.

_"Now tell me Gohan, which one of those sounds more stupid?"_

"Oh shut up," the junior Destroyer growled, stuffing him roughly into the seethe on his back.

" _Oi!"_ Z shouted, though his cries of anger were shortly muffled by the thick encasement surrounding him.

No sooner had he manage to stifle Z, did he reach the top of the winding staircase, where Whis was waiting for him at the entrance of the old stone palace.

"Ah there you are Gohan," the Angel smiled, "Took the scenic route I gather?"

"Sorry I'm a bit late," said the teen, "Just needed to clear my head."

"Understandable," he replied, "You've certainly worked hard today. Come, Lord Beerus is growing impatient. But no running in the - !"

With that, the young saiyan raced into to temple, ignoring his mentors calls on the search for food. "Oh why do I even bother?" Whis sighed in distain, before following his rapid footsteps.

When he reached the banquet chamber, Gohan was glad to see that an enormous feast was waiting for him. With a quick greeting to Lord Beerus who was sat at one end of the table, he wasted no time in sitting across from him and inhaling everything in front of him.

"Gohan, what have I told you about running in the palace?" Whis' voice cut through the air, causing the teen to swallow his huge mouthful.

"Whoops sorry, I suppose I forgot," the teenager grinned back, causing Lord Beerus to scoff.

"I haven't forgotten the mess you made when you ran in here the last time," he glowered, casting his gaze over to the grand empty fish tank behind him, before sighing, "All those fish, what a waste."

"What do you mean?" Gohan quirked, "Whis did a do over after I crashed into it and it was all fixed again!"

"Yes until you decided to counter me," the destroyer growled, "That blast of yours fried the lot of them!"

"Well, you did say the day before just how much you liked fried fish," the halfling jested, causing the vein in Beerus' temple to throb.

"And you did clothesline him off his feet quite aggressively my Lord," Whis chimed in, "I have to say, it was a rather good counter by our junior Destroyer."

"WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?!"

"Neither Lord Beerus," said Whis calmly, causing Gohan to snort, "And do mind your temper during dinner. That goes for your manners as well Gohan."

The teen gave him a apologetic smile, "Yes sir."

"Now as you're here Gohan, we have much to discuss with you," the Angel continued from where he was stood by Beerus' side.

"Oh?" he quirked, "Like what?"

Whis sighed heavily, and the young saiyan immediately felt unnerved, both he and Lord Beerus' features had become far too serious for his liking.

"I must say that I am surprised that you hadn't noticed it, though I suppose that you have been too busy with your studies and training."

Gohan frowned, his food abandoned on his plate, "Noticed what?"

"There is something stirring within our universe," said Whis, "something incredibly dark and disturbing. I have been in contact with The Supreme Kai and he has indeed sensed that something is amiss, something that if we are correct, will not only affect the universal balance, but the entire universe as we know it."

His onyx eyes hardened, he certainly didn't like the sound of that, and he was rather annoyed at himself for not recognising this dark energy in the first place. Frustratingly, he still couldn't sense it, though he reasoned that his senses weren't quite up to the Godly standard of deities such as Lord Beerus and The Supreme Kai.

"But what is it?" asked Gohan, "can we stop it?"

"Not what, but who," said Lord Beerus, a spark of anger ignited in his eyes, "We think we know who this dark energy belongs to, but at present we do not understand why or even how he is gaining power, much less still alive."

The teenager blinked, something within his memories called out to him, and it was then he understood why the deities looked so serious.

 _"It's him,"_ he heard Z whisper fearfully, though his voice was still slightly muffled.

"Perses," Gohan stated, causing Whis and Beerus to look towards him in surprise.

"You know of Perses?" asked Lord Beerus, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"I've read a book or two about him," shrugged the teen, attempting to remain indifferent, "I know he was the junior Destroyer before me, went on a compete rampage and started destroying everything. You trapped him in a dimension called The Void where no one is supposed to live, let alone escape. Am I missing anything?"

The deities exchanged a look, before Whis spoke, "No Gohan I think you've got all of that. Goodness me just how many books have you read in that common room of yours?"

"Pretty much all of them," the young saiyan brushed off causally, "So you think Perses is trying to escape?"

"We can only guess," said Lord Beerus, "We haven't figured out just where or how yet, but he is drawing power from somewhere in order to gain strength."

"But I thought that there was nothing in The Void?" he frowned, "Surely he can't gain any power from inside there?"

"Exactly our point Gohan," said Whis, "You have to understand that Perses was practically dead when we were able to capture him. The Void does awful things to a anything within it, it sucks out what little life there is left, anything that enters turns into an empty shell. For Perses to come back from that would require extraordinary power, something that he will not find in that dimension. My reasoning is that he is somehow drawing energy from the world of the living."

His eyes widened, "But how is that even possible?"

"If we knew don't you think we would have destroyed the source by now?" Lord Beerus scoffed, rolling his eyes at him. "Either way, this is something us more senior deities are dealing with, we're only telling you in order to give you fair warning for what comes next."

"Huh?"

"Well Gohan," said Whis, with a small smile, "We've had somewhat of a revelation that has come at the most convenient time, in my opinion."

"I'm not sure that I like the sound of this," he groaned, as Beerus' lips drew into an ominous smirk.

"Whilst you were busy on Planet Lamorak, Lord Beerus took a short nap in which he happened upon a certain dream," Whis began to explain.

"A dream I had before some years back but had forgotten about," sniffed Beerus, "It wasn't important to me then so why should I remember it? But you see back then I didn't have a half-saiyan as my successor, so the words Super Saiyan God wouldn't have meant anything to me."

Gohan blinked, "Super Saiyan _God_?"

"I thought that you might not have heard of it, despite your saiyan heritage," said Whis, "But fear not, I believe that this Super Saiyan God form is the key to ensuring that you become a fully fledged God much quicker. What with the balance of the universe at stake, I think it only proper that you attain this form so that you can master it should we need it's power."

The teenager was completely bowled over, "But Lord Beerus said it was just a dream? Are you sure it's some kind of form?"

"I saw it with my own eyes boy," the Destroyer said dangerously, before his brow furrowed, "Though the details are a little hazy."

"Gohan is right my Lord, your dream-state premonitions have a habit of not coming true," offered Whis. "I have checked and double checked, there is no Super Saiyan God currently in existence."

"Oh really now? Then I'll prove to you that what I speak is truth," Beerus sneered, calling out to the skies, "Oh Seer! Seer? Can you hear me?!"

A loud clatter sounded in the distance, followed by an almighty crash as the Oracle Fish whizzed into the chamber, before skidding to a halt right before them.

"You called my Lord?" she bowed respectfully.

"Yes," he replied, getting up from his seat and stalking towards her, "I seem to remember having a dream, a premonition as it were before my last decades long sleep and this nitwit arrived on my planet."

Gohan scowled as the Destroyer continued, "I dreamed that I would meet a powerful warrior who took on a divine form to rival the Gods themselves. I spoke to you directly about it."

"Oh you mean the Super Saiyan God prophecy?" the Seer asked, prompting Beerus to nod his head in affirmation as he addressed Whis and Gohan.

"See? I told you," said Lord Beerus smugly, before turning angrily to the Oracle, "I knew when Whis showed me Gohan's super saiyan form that I had heard the term before, but a certain FISH FACE DECIDED TO KEEP IT QUIET!"

The blue fish scoffed, "Well you should have asked. I prophesies a lot of things. You can't expect me to remember them all!"

"BUT THATS YOUR JOB-! Ugh," the destroyer God cut himself short, inhaling deeply, "Whatever, it doesn't matter. The _point_ is that we need to figure out how to make you this Super Saiyan God."

Gohan gulped, as Lord Beerus jammed a clawed finger in his direction, "But how?"

"The best people to ask are other saiyans, what better way to get answers than straight from the race that the form is attributed to?" said Whis.

The young saiyan frowned, "But the last saiyans alive are on-"

"Earth yes," his master answered for him, "Which is precisely where you are going to go to get answers."

Gohan blinked, and then blinked again, before the reality of what Whis had just inferred really sunk in.

"WHAT?!" He shrieked as a whirlwind of emotions flooded his being all at once, the panic setting in, "Y-you want me to go back to Earth?"

"Only temporarily," said Whis, "Though I agree it isn't the most ideal situation, we will have to make sure that your true identity remains undetectable. We will have to lay down some ground rules. It would be too risky."

"If it's so risky then why can't any of _you_ go?" he asked haughtily, causing Beerus to scoff.

"Are you serious? We're far too busy, and if you haven't noticed, there is the matter of the universe's impending doom."

"Can't I just _ask_ Master Zuno how to transform into a Super Saiyan God?" he continued to argue.

"If you want to kiss him, be my guest."

"Dragonballs?"

"Would take centuries to summon the dragon God Zalama you know that, the dragonballs are spread across universes."

" _Namekian_ dragonballs?"

"A gross misuse of such sacred orbs I must say, do you want us deities to look bad?"

"Time rings?"

"Only Supreme Kai's are permitted to use them, and anyway they only go forward in time, so there is no use in you trying to use them to go to the past to see if there was a Super Saiyan God previously and ask them how to do it."

"What about The Supreme Guard? Can't they go in my place?"

"Do you _really_ want to set Makhai loose on the Earthlings?"

"Alright FINE!" Gohan cried finally, he was now standing and running his hand through his hair out of frustration, "I'll go. But as soon as I find out how to transform into this Saiyan God then I'm coming home."

"Quite right," said Whis with a small smile, "Your best bet for information might be Prince Vegeta, though if you want to avoid bumping into your family and friends as much as possible then it might do well to summon Shenron with Earth's dragonballs if it comes to it."

The teenage Destroyer sighed, his mentor could read him like an open book. A long time ago, he would have given anything to be able to go back to Earth, to see his family and friends, to check in on them and see if they were happy. But now…

He didn't even know how much time had passed since he had died. If he could hazard a guess he would put himself at around sixteen or seventeen if his growth spurts were anything to go by. He had never felt the need to ask Whis, the more he distanced himself from the realms of the living the better. For he would never be able to go back. And what's more if he sees them and they him, it would make it so much harder to go away again. He had thought he had made peace with it. He really didn't want to go through all that again.

"You may choose not to go Gohan," the Angel told him sincerely, "But the universe may fall."

The young saiyan whirled around angrily, "That's not a choice, that's an ultimatum!"

"Ah tomato, tom _a_ to," he shrugged indifferently, as the teen sighed in despair, "though I must stress, I advise you not to indulge yourself with your loved ones for longer than needed, you will only make it harder on yourself."

"Well, duh."

"Oh which reminds me," Whis chirped, waving his staff so that his halo disappeared above his head, "Remember to keep that halo of yours concealed like so, or else you're bound to be questioned."

"Yeah, yeah," Gohan griped, "Just promise you'll bring me back as soon as I find out how to become a Super Saiyan God?"

"But of course!" He beamed, and to the teenager's horror, did a bright white light encompass his being.

"Wait! You're sending me _now_?!" Gohan bellowed in utter disbelief.

"There's no time like the present!" Whis continued to grin, as Lord Beerus and the Oracle Fish roared with laughter behind him, "Toodles!"

And in a blinding flash, he was gone.

* * *

_Originally Posted: 3rd September, 2018._

* * *


	9. Back To Earth

**Northern Wastelands, Planet Earth, Age 775**

It was just a normal, peaceful day on the little blue planet at the centre of the Northern Galaxy. The bright May sunshine seemed to encompass most of the continent, bathing the Earthlings in the refreshing waves of warmth that the summer months brought. The majority of the Earth's inhabitants were going about their business as usual, unaware of the brilliant tunnel of light that had just shot through their planets atmosphere, for it was so fast that it was gone quicker than the untrained eye could see. For those who could sense Ki however, it was an entirely different story.

Scattered across the planet as per usual when there wasn't a threat upon the horizon, the Earth's strongest protectors had quite the shock as a great, unyielding power suddenly assaulted their senses. Though before they had time to process such a power, or even pin point just where it had sprang up from without warning, did it vanish completely. The Z-Fighters paused for a moment, sweeping their senses over the entire planet - but nothing. Shrugging to themselves, and passing it off as their minds playing tricks on them, they continued with their respective tasks at hand, completely unawares to the screaming junior Destroyer that had crashed quite unceremoniously into the dusty ground of a desolate wasteland.

"Oof!" Gohan winced in pain, dust flying everywhere as he landed, The Warp dissipating around him in an instant.

_"Ha! Called it!"_

The teenager ignored Z's laughter, rubbing his sore backside and clambering to his feet. He blinked, realising that he was indeed alone.

"Oi!" He yelled to the skies angrily, "You can't just leave me here!"

Nothing.

_"Tough break kid."_

He huffed in annoyance when he received no answer, although he really wasn't expecting one. He had to somehow bribe Whis to teach him that technique. Then again, he was too weary of Lord Beerus using it, let alone the mischievous half-saiyan. Gohan sighed, relenting in the fact that he was now stuck on Earth. The only solace he had gained was the fact that he had enough sense to hide his Ki as he had entered the atmosphere, if he hadn't, he would have no doubt that the Z-Fighters would already be upon him. He groaned, running his hands over his face as the breeze blew his ceremonial garb around him. Why did he even agree to this?

Still, being back on Earth was a rather nice feeling. Bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds were a stark contrast to the dark amber and red of Beerus' planet. However, looking around, he couldn't depict just where in the HFIL he was. A desolate wasteland greeted him, the earth dry and cracked underneath his boots. He frowned, depicting various craters and crevices around him. There were no trees or life of any sorts, rock formations lay crumbled on the ground and what looked like ash and scorch marks were evident amongst the beige backdrop. If he was any sort of Destroyer in training, he would assume that what stood before him was the aftermath of an epic battle… _Oh_ …

A shiver suddenly ran the length of his spine and down to the place where his tail used to be. The scenery was now all too familiar, and the memories that he had long since suppressed came flooding to the surface. His stomach churned uncomfortably, and if his heart was any use at all he was certain that it would be pounding by now. He had no doubt of the reason why he had landed here, his soul must still be connected somehow.

This was the last place that he had set foot on Earth. This was where he had died.

The Cell Games arena.

He suppressed another shudder, swallowing the lump in his throat and kicking off from the ground with the idea of getting as far away from the wasteland as possible. Yet as soon as he lifted into the air, he stopped short. Something glinted in the sunlight, catching his eye from the other side of an enormous crater. Curious, the young saiyan floated towards it, and his heart caught in his throat when he realised what it was.

He landed swiftly, his onyx eyes fixated on the bronze statue in front of him. It shined brightly in the glare of the sunlight, and seemed to be the only thing standing for miles. His own, young face grinned out at him, donned in the gi that was reminiscent of his old mentor. Short spikes stuck out at odd angles atop his head, capturing the wildness of his once short hair. A long bronze cape, complete with shoulder pads, was stagnant in a non existent breeze. His face was youthful, happy, his stance strong with his arms folded across his chest.

Gohan had thought that he had looked so cool back then, his eleven year old self had wanted to be just like Mister Piccolo, coupled with all the strength and bravery of him and his father. He gulped, his chest becoming tight with emotion as he stared at the statue of himself. Who erect such a thing? Preserve the memory of a boy whose cockiness and rage had cost the life of his father and endangered his friends, as well as the entire Earth? It was only then did he notice the vast array of flowers surrounding the bronze depiction.

It wasn't a monument at all, it was a grave.

Brushing away some of the flowers that were deadened, he uncovered the plaque that lay at his eleven year old feet.

_The final resting place of Son Gohan_

_18th May Age 757 - 26th May Age 767_

_Beloved Son, Friend and Hero_

_The Last Enemy That Will Be Destroyed Is Death_

The teenager couldn't help but snort at the last line. It was sort of ironic, when his current role in the universe was effectively Death itself.

He sighed, noticing that candles and trinkets accompanied the flowers, along with a few childish drawings and old, sad looking teddybears. He had been rather young when he had died after all. The grave was well kept, he observed, and not much dust around considering where it was situated. He hesitated for a moment, but decided it might be too much to read the notes and letters attached to the flowers.

Suddenly, a spark of Ki alerted his senses, causing him to incline his head towards the horizon. The energy didn't seem extremely powerful or familiar, which put him at ease. He certainly wasn't ready to run into his family and friends just yet, and was willing to hide it out and avoid them altogether before Whis finally realised that his plan was ridiculous and futile and came to take him home. But alas he needed answers on how to achieve this Super Saiyan God form, whatever it was, or else face the probable wrath of Perses unprepared.

A mustard yellow jet flew overhead, it's blades whipping against the air and causing his hair to blow back from his face. The words ' _SATAN_ ' were emblazoned onto the side of the copter, and struck Gohan with a sense of familiarity, though he couldn't remember just where he had heard the name before. Curiosity getting the better of him, as it always did, the young saiyan stayed in place as the helicopter landed a short distance away. He watched as the door to the cockpit opened, and out stepped a teenage girl. She wore a long white t-shirt that reached her thighs, along with tight ripped jeans and fighting boots, fingerless gloves adorning her hands. She had tied her long raven hair back into two pigtails that cascaded down her back and reached her petite waist. Her dark hair contrasted brilliantly with her deep sapphire eyes that surveyed the area before she jumped from the cockpit and landed effortlessly upon the dusty ground.

Gohan's throat ran dry all of a sudden, and he couldn't help but notice that she was incredibly beautiful, and surprisingly rather strong for a human. He shook himself mentally as he realised that he was staring, his onyx eyes darting all over her curves, Whis would no doubt smack him over the head with his sceptre for that. The teenager had had numerous crushes over the years, and had been rather taken with a princess from an alien planet at one time. Though as his mentor had informed him, a Destroyer God's work included no time for girlfriends.

 _"Hubba hubba!"_ Z wolf whistled, though before the halfling could scold him, he realised that the girl was merely a foot away from him.

Her eyes suddenly widened at the sight of him standing there, "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise anyone else was here."

"It's fine," he managed to force out, swallowing the lump in his throat and giving her a reassuring smile as she approached. There was something about her eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on, though it made a strange feeling erupt in his stomach, "I was just leaving."

"Oh please, don't leave on my behalf," she implored, and it was then did Gohan notice that she had a bunch of flowers in her hands, "I just came to replace these."

He stared at her, intrigued, as the raven haired girl bustled about beside him. She picked up a glass vase closest to the engraving, and replaced the dying flowers with fresh ones.

"Daisies?" he asked, causing a little heat to rise to her cheeks.

"Yeah, what of it?" she snapped suddenly, her eyes narrowing dangerously at him.

He blinked in surprise, sensing a challenge from her. She must have thought he was teasing her, and from the challenging stare she was readying herself to shoot him down. Or punch him, one or the other. "Er nothing," he mustered, "I just thought it was an odd flower choice. It's not a bad thing though."

She stared at him for a moment, before accepting his answer, her delicate hand reaching out to rearrange the new flowers.

Odd.

"Well, usually people put lilies and forget-me-not's," she explained finally, "but I just think that those are a bit morbid. Daisies are… well, they symbolise hope and innocence, which is what he is all about I suppose."

Gohan frowned, looking towards the statue and back to the girl. Maybe it had been true once, but he hadn't been innocent since he had lost control against Cell.

"What did you bring?" she asked suddenly, this girl seemed just as curious about him as he was her.

"Oh, nothing," he said simply, but quickly realised that this may have been the wrong thing to say, "I've er, never been here before. I've been away, it's just odd to see me- er him like this."

"Did you know him?" she asked softly, tearing her eyes away from her work and staring intently at him.

He sighed, "An old friend."

"I'm sorry," the girl said sincerely, her fierceness having dissipated. Slowly, she looked back up at the bronze saviour of Earth, "Your friend was great person, he was selfless. He saved me, you know."

"Pardon?" he asked, whipping his head towards her. There was definitely something about those eyes.

"I was there at the Cell Games," she told him, her gaze never leaving the statute, "I snuck into the boot of my dad's car so that I could watch him fight up close. There was no way that I was going to be stuck watching it on TV at home like everyone else. Cell, that _monster_ , he was about to fire an attack, and Gohan saved me. He was so quick that I didn't even notice I wasn't dead until I was flying through the air. I'll never forget what he did. So I come here once every month. Change the flowers, clean the statue, it's the least I could do."

Gohan gaped at her, unable to stop himself, "Wait, _you're_ the girl from the Cell Games?!"

She sighed, pointing at herself as if it was obvious, "Um yeah, you know, the former World Champ's daughter? The little nutcase that nearly got herself killed? It was all over the news at the time."

"Your dad is Mister Satan?" He spluttered, attempting not to laugh out loud as he thought of the big hairy goof of a man who got knocked out of the ring by Cell with what was effectively a bitch slap.

And did she say _former_ Champion? There must have been another martial arts tournament whilst he had been gone. That would make it at least five years since he had died.

She rolled her eyes, "Wow you really have been away, have you been living under a rock?"

"Something like that," he couldn't help but grin at her.

The Satan girl gave him a wry smile, before sighing, the sky was steadily growing amber, much resembling Lord Beerus' planet. The halfling blinked in the realisation that he hadn't seen a sunset in a very long time. Well, none as spectacular as this.

"It's strange to think that it's nearly been eight years hasn't it? It doesn't seem that long ago really," she sighed next to him.

He nodded his head, as violet started to intermingle with - wait, _what_?!

"E-eight years?!" Gohan yelped, as the girl looked towards him in alarm, "You're telling me it's been _eight_ years?!"

He grasped at his chest desperately, he was hyperventilating. Eight years? That meant he was nineteen! Nineteen years old and he had just screamed like a little girl, in front of a very pretty girl who he had just met. And he was now on his hands and knees, pulling at his hair and muttering so many obscenities that he was surprised that The Supreme Kai didn't strike him down where he lay. Had it really been THAT long?!

"Are you alright?!" The girl gasped, suddenly alarmed as she kneeled to his height.

Gohan wasn't calming down, and he was on the verge of having a panic attack when a loud slapping noise reached his ears. He jumped, realising from hearing alone that the ballsy girl had slapped him in order to knock some sense into him.

" _Ow!"_ she winced, wringing her wrist, "What the bloody hell is your face made of?!"

"S-sorry!" He gasped, grabbing onto her hand and pulling them to their feet, healing it instantly with a shock of Ki. Though luckily the girl didn't notice, and it was so fast that she thought it had just smarted a little, rather than broken her fingers. He really needed to lower his guard.

"Sorry," he repeated, as the girl eyed him, "It's just… it's just been a long day."

The teen saiyan gulped, realising she hadn't said anything in over a minute.

Slowly, she crept towards him, her mouth opening in shock "When you said you'd been away… have you been in the hospital?"

"Hospital?" He frowned.

"Sorry to pry," she said, concern in her eyes, "But you said you'd been away, and the way you just reacted only tells me that you don't know how much time has passed since your friend died. Did you have amnesia or something?"

He stared at her, hesitating. Well he couldn't bloody well tell her the truth could he? This girl did seem smart, and she was certainly nosy. His brain told him to go with it against his better judgement, hopefully Whis would figure something out that didn't involve Earth and come and pick him up soon.

"Let's see," she continued, not giving the young saiyan chance to answer, "Do you know what year this is?"

"Uh…" he started, quickly adding the numbers in his head, "Age seven-hundred and seventy-five."

"What _date_?"

Shit.

"I rest my case," she said smugly, before her eyes softened, "Why didn't you say anything? You poor bugger. It's obvious to me now, you must have just come out of the hospital and thrown on the first clothes you came across!"

Gohan's nose wrinkled in annoyance, as he folded his arms protectively over his ceremonial garb.

"Where did you find those anyway?" she teased, "In a fancy dress shop? They're so weird!"

"I, uh, don't remember?" he squeaked.

The girl sighed, pulling on his arm, "Come on, you're coming home with me."

"W-what?" he asked, this girl was incredibly odd.

She rolled her eyes at his reluctance, "I'm not going to leave a lost boy all alone after finding out he's had amnesia for Kami knows how long. You need some proper clothes and food in your belly. I'm heading to my dad's first for dinner because I only moved into my own place a couple of months ago so it's a bit of a mess. But don't worry, we'll eat there and then you can sleep on my sofa until you're back on your feet. My dad's a bit of a pain in the arse but he won't be opposed to an extra house guest."

Gohan stared at her in disbelief, he hadn't been bossed around like this by anyone other than two certain deities in a very long time. Something told him from the determined look in her eyes that he wasn't going to get away with not accepting the pretty girl's offer so easily. Though food did seem amazing right now, and it _was_ getting late.

Slowly he smiled, "Well, in that case, might I know the name of my saviour?"

"Oh!" She flushed, realising that neither of them had exchanged names, "It's Videl. What's yours?

Double shit!

"Or can't you remember?" Videl asked, wincing a little incase she had caused offence.

"Um, no it's uh, Beerus!" he blurted, without thinking.

"What?" Videl blinked.

What?

 _"What?"_ chimed Z.

"Yeah, Beerus," he repeated, not wanting to seem stupid. In all honesty the young saiyan wanted to slap himself. He had just said the first name had come to mind! Dammit!

"Hmm that's a strange name," she observed, before breaking out into a smile, "Well, let's go Beerus. I can fill you in on everything you've missed after dinner."

Gohan sighed, before following the girl into her jetcopter. Well, at least no one was familiar with the name Beerus the Destroyer this far North of the galaxies, or else he was certain that utter chaos would unleash.

The ride in Videl's jetcopter was unbearably slow, and he couldn't help but think that if Lord Beerus were here then he would have destroyed the Earth in annoyance and condemned any such vehicle like it in the universe straight to HFIL. Though Gohan wasn't as temperamental as the purple kitty cat, and even though it was slow, he couldn't help but enjoy the scenery.

Clusters of lights twinkled at him like constellations from below as they flew over numerous villages and cities. He could just make out the green foliage of grass, forests and trees, along with snow capped mountains in the distance as they headed further East. It was like seeing it from the other side, and he was having a very similar reaction to when he had first set foot on Beerus' planet. Had he ever admired Earth's beauty like this before? A part of him couldn't help but think that he had taken it for granted in all the years he had been alive.

As the sky grew darker, the shadow of the Eastern mountains drew closer, and Gohan started to panic a little, realising that they were heading straight for his former home. He had to force himself not to sense for his parent's Ki. No, prophecy or not, he would wait it out until Whis picked him up. He couldn't risk seeing them, or else it would be even harder to tear himself away. He had a job to do after all, and he wouldn't let the universe implode because of him.

"Um, Videl?" he asked, causing her sapphire eyes to avert to him momentarily before focusing on where she was going, "Just how far East are we going?

"Oh we'll be landing shortly," she smiled, as he sighed in relief, "Dinner should already be waiting."

He smiled back, "Thanks."

And descend they did, passing over an enormous sign that read ' _Welcome to Orange Star City!'_ before flying over the town centre that was vibrant with life and light. Videl smiled at the look on his face, as the young saiyan had pressed his face to the glass, watching the hustle and bustle of Earthlings below. The city seemed to glow an array of bright colours, and he could make out people decorating the streets with streamers, balloons and strings of fairy lights. Large crowds seemed to circulate around various pubs and similar establishments, and a giant billboard was being erected in the middle of the town square, though all he could depict from it from this height was a flash of golden paint.

"They're getting the streets set up for the celebrations," she informed him, sighing at the confused look he gave her, "It's the eighth year anniversary of The Cell Games in two days."

Gohan's frown only deepened. Why would the Earthlings be celebrating with such gusto? To be fair the planet _was_ saved from being annihilated, but that fate had been avoided on numerous occasions before, and from his recollection the Earthlings had never celebrated so enthusiastically so many years after the event.

Videl shook her head, mistaking the look on his face for something entirely different altogether, "Kami, we're going to have to hope that your memory comes back soon, just how much can you remember?"

"Uh, last time I checked, The Cell Games were pretty much the last thing," he informed her, it wasn't a complete lie after all.

"What happened?" she asked in a sympathetic tone.

The teenager sweated, damn it this girl didn't stop asking questions!

"I er, hit my head," he said stupidly, "I was out in the city when The Cell Games were happening, and with all the earthquakes going on, I fell over and blacked out. The next thing I remember was waking up this morning in the hospital!"

"You fell over?" she quirked disbelievingly.

"It's as stupid as it sounds!" He laughed nervously.

 _"Idiot,"_ mustered Z from his sheathe.

"Shut. Up!" Gohan hissed through gritted teeth, though thankfully Videl didn't seem to hear him.

"Wow I can't believe you've been out of it for that long," she continued, "Don't worry though Beerus, if your memory doesn't come back then I've got a couple of friends that could help you out."

He frowned, did she mean a psychiatrist or something?

"Well, this is us!" She beamed, as the pavement grew nearer and they landed with a small bump.

Feeling rather cramped, Gohan eagerly clambered out of the copter and took a good look around him. He had to admit that he was impressed. They were in a very posh looking neighbourhood. With large high rising houses that were gated and hidden behind beautiful green trees. The street was ridiculously clean, with a shiny red post box in the middle of the pavement. They were stood in front of the gates of what looked like the largest house on the street. Four stories high, with enormous bay windows, stone flagged stepped led up to a large double oak door with a brass knocker on the front. The gates were wrought iron, and behind them lay a pebbled path that led up to the house.

Videl smiled, "A little much I know, but Dad used to be the world martial arts champion after all."

"You say used to be," said Gohan thoughtfully, "Was there another tournament?"

"Oh yeah, last year," she informed him, and the young saiyan instantly picked up an aura of darkness and sadness around her, "Dad technically won, but a lot of stuff happened and people got disqualified, he didn't have chance to fight anyone really. Rather than winning by default he renounced his title until the next tournament. He's a good man like that."

He frowned, wondering why the boastful buffoon he remembered would do something so selfless as Videl reached up to press the buzzer, although he couldn't help but wonder if his father and the others had competed. He wouldn't put it past them. But why didn't anyone win? He had a funny feeling that he was missing something.

"Shit," Videl whispered suddenly, retracting her hand away from the buzzer so fast as if she had been burned, "I forgot to say, one of my dad's _friends_ is staying…"

Gohan blinked, noticing the way she had wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"He's an odd looking fellow," she informed him, "But he's alright really. A little protective over his food, so just make sure you sit far away from him at dinner okay? He trains at the dojo with Dad, he's uh, lets just say he's not from around here."

He nodded, processing all the information. Protective over his food? Huh, sounded a lot like a certain God of Destruction in his opinion.

Giving him another smile, she pressed the buzzer and voiced her presence to whomever the operator was. The gates swung open to allow them passage, but no sooner were they near the front steps did the large oak doors swing open and non other than the Champ himself appear.

The young saiyan raised an eyebrow, Hercule Satan hadn't really changed that much since the last time he had seen him. He still sported that ridiculous afro, sideburns and trimmed beard that stretched over his enormous jaw. He was dressed casually in grey sweatpants and a black tank top, that did nothing to cover the hairiness of his muscular chest and arms.

He regarded Videl with the same sparkling sapphire eyes as she, giving her a wide grin and letting out a bellow of laughter that thundered over the gardens.

"Sweet-pea!" He bellowed lovingly, "I wondered where you had gotten to! It was getting late and I was about to ring the police department and-!"

" _Dad_ ," the raven-haired girl interrupted, looking slightly embarrassed, "Will you stop fussing? I'm nineteen for goodness sake! And I _am_ the police department, nothing bad is going to happen!"

Mister Satan chuckled, moving to embrace her, which she allowed with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Oh I've missed you so much! It's been so long since you visited!"

"I was here yesterday!" she protested, though the amusement was evident in her tone.

"Well you can't blame a man for worrying about his baby girl-!"

Hercule suddenly stopped dead, as he caught sight of the tall, muscular young man in odd clothes standing next to his daughter.

"And just who is this _boy_?" He growled, his demeanour doing a complete one-eighty as he positively glared at him.

He blinked, he certainly hadn't received a greeting like that in a while. Usually, people would automatically cower in his presence. It was actually rather refreshing.

" _Daddy_ ," Videl warned, catching on quickly, "This is Beerus. I found him wondering around Son Gohan's grave earlier, he's got amnesia and by the sounds of it only remembers snippets of his life."

"Really now?" he glowered, giving him a scrutinising gaze, "And just what do you call that get up your wearing? Looks like some kind of punk to me."

"Dad," the girl pressed, before Gohan could open his mouth in an angry retort, "He remembered that Son Gohan was a friend so _be nice_."

Mister Satan regarded him for a few moments before breaking out into a dazzling smile, "Beerus eh? Well you're a lucky young man being picked up by my Videl here. Such a sweet girl she is, helping out where she can. Now listen up sonny, I'd be happy to help with this amnesia business you've got going on, but I don't want you trying anything funny with my daughter!"

" _Dad!_ " the daughter in question positively seethed, "It's not like that! It's just dinner, and I'm going to try and figure out how to help him tomorrow!"

"Yeah don't worry Mister Satan," Gohan chuckled, "I'll be out of your's and Videl's hair in no time at all."

"Now that's what I like to hear!" He chortled, clapping him on the back before pulling him into the house.

Videl rolled her eyes behind her father's back, giving Gohan an exasperated look.

The young saiyan grinned back, just as Mister Satan started talking his ear off about which limb he would rip off first if he were to ever to lay a finger on his 'precious baby girl'. Gohan wasn't really listening, and instead was admiring the grandeur of the house. Beautifully painted pictured lined the walls, framed by golden patterns and strung over white washed walls. The floor was made of marble, with mahogany tables lining the huge hallway. A spiral staircase stood in front of them, leading up to the upper levels, where Gohan could see a glistening chandelier dangling from the top ceiling.

After a whistle stop tour of the house, in which Hercule was eager to show the teenager his gun collection much to Videl's despair, did they finally sit down for dinner. It was rather odd, sitting at the dining table with the girl he had saved from The Cell Games and her ignoramus father who had mellowed out significantly in his opinion. He couldn't help but think that it was due to what the man had seen against Cell eight years ago, the Z-Fighter's power must have both terrified and humbled him. It was clear that the Satan's were rich, and Mister Satan's popularity hadn't wavered despite his loss in world champion status. Butlers brought out all kinds of delicious foods that Gohan hadn't realised he had missed so much and as consequence was devouring everything that they put in front of him with impressive gusto. Videl and her father were staring at him with a mixture of horror, awe and disgust. He had forgotten how just how good the food on Earth was, and he made a mental note to take some of it back to Lord Beerus and Whis. His tastebuds were in heaven!

"It's the amnesia," he informed them in between bites, "I can't remember the last time I ate!"

Videl gave him an amused look, "You certainly have an appetite, I've only seen a handful of people eat like that."

"Just hungry," he shrugged with a smile, before gulping down an entire steak and kidney pudding whole.

Suddenly, a tingle presented itself in the base of his neck. He stopped eating abruptly, as an immensely powerful Ki approached. His eyes widened, as a blob of a creature entered the dining room, an aura of crippling energy surrounding him. He was huge and bulbous, with pink gelatinous skin and squinty dark eyes. He wore baggy white trousers and boots, along with a black waistcoat that barely stretched over his bulging belly, and a small purple cape that was tied underneath numerous chins.

"Ah there you are Buu!" Hercule chimed happily, "All your food is ready for you."

Buu? As in _Majin_ Buu?! What. The. Actual. Fuck.

"Beerus? Is something wrong?" Videl asked him worriedly, as all his eating had abruptly come to a halt.

But Gohan was glowering at the monster in front of him. Just what the bloody hell was that horrid creature doing here? In Mister Satan's house of all things! He remembered The Supreme Kai informing Whis that Majin Buu had been defeated. He had nearly had to step in after he and Whis had found out that the beast had been unleashed and The Supreme Guard were already on a similarly dangerous mission. Though, before he could travel to the Sacred Realm of The Kai's, Z-Sword in hand, Shin had informed Whis that Gohan's assistance was not needed, and that mortal warriors had been able to defeat Buu.

 _Mortal_ warriors? He had never thought… was the planet Majin Buu had been imprisoned in Earth? Could it be that his father…? But if that was true, then it didn't make any sense at all! Majin Buu was still alive! Here on Earth! Sitting across from him happily and about to tuck into a ridiculous amount of food even by Gohan's standards. He couldn't risk it. Buu needed to be eliminated. He would need to be destroyed on the spot and he would have to get the hell out of the Satan Mansion and take shelter in a cave somewhere. The halfling would have to be extremely careful, as firing a blast would cause too much destruction, and he would hate for Videl and Mister Satan to get caught in it. That, and it would alert the Z-Fighters to his presence on Earth.

No, he thought, shaking his head. He would paralyse him, phase out, erase him, and leave. It was the only safe way to do it. Yet as the junior Destroyer was mulling over his thoughts, the Majin stopped inhaling his meal, and stared at the young saiyan with beetle black eyes, regarding him curiously.

"Boy strong," he stated, causing Videl and Hercule to look towards them.

"Boy very strong," Buu said again, "Boy play with Buu?"

The teenager stared, observing the talking pink blob. This creature was just like a child! It didn't make sense, but somehow he couldn't depict any dark energy coming from him. To his right, Mister Satan started to panic.

"Er Buu?! Why don't you play later with the strong ones eh?" He gulped, falling over his words, "Beerus is sick you see, he's not strong at all! Why don't you eat your food and you can go and play with them tomorrow eh?"

To Gohan's astonishment, Buu smiled happily, "Okay Mister Satan!"

He blinked, as Majin Buu returned to his meal. He was…different. Certainly not the demon of chaos that he had been warned about. And who were these 'strong ones' Mister Satan was referring to? Alarm bells were ringing in his head, so much so that he stood up abruptly from the table, gaining the other's attention.

"Er, is there a bathroom I could use?" he asked quickly, causing Mister Satan to blink at his sudden outburst.

"Um, of course," he informed him, "The closest one is down the corridor on your left, past the kitchens."

Gohan uttered a small 'thanks' before racing from the room. He found the enormous bathroom in no time at all, and bolted the door behind him, materialising his communication device out of thin air. No sooner had he pressed the button, did his mentor's smiling face appear on the screen.

"Ah Gohan!" Whis beamed, "Don't tell me that you've found out how to turn into a Super Saiyan God already? I must say I'm rather impressed!"

"Tell me everything you know about Majin Buu," the young saiyan cut across him seriously, breathing heavily in an attempt to keep himself calm, "Before I eliminate him."

"Majin Buu?" The Angel blinked, "Whatever for?"

Gohan sighed, and proceeded to tell his master what he had found.

"My my," Whis chuckled when he had finished, "No more than a few hours on Earth and you've ran straight into Majin Buu. You certainly are a magnet for trouble my boy."

"Will you just explain why that pink monstrosity is still alive please?" The teen saiyan said haughtily, "And why he is currently having a cosy dinner with the Satan's as if that's _normal_?!"

"Oh alright," huffed Whis, before the distinct tap of his staff was heard, and a holographic image of the fat Majin appeared right before him in Mister Satan's bathroom.

"Ah yes this is very interesting," Whis' voice echoed around him, "It seems that Majin Buu is not a threat to the Satans, the Earth or anyone else for that matter."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Gohan protested, "He shouldn't even be here in the first place! Didn't The Supreme Kai say that he had been defeated?"

"Well, in a way yes," said Whis, "But it is a little more complicated than that. Majin Buu _was_ defeated, but not this version of the creature."

"I'm confused," he deadpanned.

"Let me show you what I mean," the Angel sighed, before the figure of Buu disappeared and in it's place materialised a short demon-like creature, with similar pink skin. It's eyes were manic, it's sharp teeth bared as it laughed silently to the heavens, it's fists pounding on it's chest in rapid succession.

"What is _that_ thing?!" gaped the teen, the child-like monster was certainly disturbing.

"The true form of Majin Buu," Whis explained, "As you may already know from your avid reading, Perses himself created that monster and set it on the Supreme Kai's themselves. Though despite popular belief, Majin Buu didn't kill them, instead he absorbed their entities. This meant that Buu's original evil soul was soothed and warped by good, the good that you see in this living version of Buu."

Gohan watched with horror, as the images flew around the room, and he watched the manic monster absorb the wounded Kai's, his body changing shape with each absorption until he moulded into the fat Buu that had sat across from him at the dining table.

"After much effort, Buu was captured and sealed in an impregnable prison, buried within the surface of a planet that was still in it's infancy," said Whis, as the unmistakable image of Planet Earth appeared before him.

The teenager couldn't believe it, Perses' greatest weapon had been trapped within the Earth's core all that time. Even when he was still living on it. Things had a very funny way of working out.

"Bibidi, the wizard whom Perses bribed to do his bidding had a son named Babidi, who it seems unleashed Buu of his own accord in order to take control of the universe," his mentor continued, as he watched Buu's escape play out right there in the bathroom. The wizard, who looked more like a flea in his opinion, watched Buu appear with glee.

Gohan's eyes widened, and a pang rippled across his chest as images of his father, Vegeta and Piccolo appeared before him, bloodied and covered in battle filth as they attacked the beast all at once. The rest of the Z-Fighters flashed over the bathroom, the blasts firing from their palms illuminating the tiles in a colourful glow.

"It seems that these mortal warriors who defeated Majin Buu were your father and his friends," said Whis, "Though they had a long fight ahead of them, the goodness in Buu overpowered the bad, and by help of Mister Satan's friendship he was able to expel the evil within."

Another image of the smaller Buu materialised in front of him, as he watched his battle-worn father in all his super saiyan glory backhand the evil imp across a violet sky that no doubt belonged to The Supreme Kai's sacred world.

"It was your father that delivered the final blow," the Angel continued, as the glow of the spirit bomb shone brightly over the bathroom, and the evil entity of Buu's original form disintegrated before his eyes, "Though he honoured Mister Satan's request to keep the good Buu alive. I don't think Prince Vegeta was too pleased about the arrangement, but it seems that Mister Satan has been true to his word and has kept Buu in line so far."

The young saiyan blinked, trying to process all the information as the hologram disappeared into thin air. It was certainly crazy, but nice in a way to think that his father and his friends were still working together to protect the Earth like they always had done. He wondered if the battle with Majin Buu would have gone a lot differently if he was around. If he was completely honest with himself, he didn't think that he would have spared any part of that monster.

"Ah yes," Whis nodded, still gathering information about the event, "It seems that the Earthlings even used the Earth's dragonballs a few months afterwards to wipe everyones memory of Majin Buu, except for those in your little group. Hmm the events must have been quite traumatic for them."

Gohan felt his chest grow tight, a guilty feeling plaguing his stomach. If he had known that Majin Buu had been attacking Earth, then such damage could have easily been avoided he was sure. He certainly would have had the power to put an end to Buu.

"Oh fiddlesticks," his mentor cursed, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

Whis sighed, "Oh it's nothing too bad. It's just that if you were planning on using the dragonballs as a last resort to find out about this Super Saiyan God from then you won't be able to use them for another month in this case. It hasn't quite been a year since they were last used."

"Figures," The teenager groaned, "So you're basically saying either suck it up and ask Vegeta or wait it out for a month?"

"The choice is yours alone," said Whis, causing the halfling to scoff.

"It's not like I even _chose_ to come here, I - hello?" Gohan mustered realising that his communicator had gone blank. "Whis? Helloooooooo?"

**Knock knock knock.**

He jumped, as there was a loud pounding of a fist on the door behind him.

"Beerus? Are you alright in there?" came Videl's worried tone.

"Just fine!" he called back, banishing his device in an instant.

"Are you sure?" she asked, "I could have sworn that I heard you talking to someone."

"Er, yeah," Gohan mustered weakly, "I er, talk to myself a lot?"

"O-kay," Videl replied a little apphrehensively, before he heard whispers from the other side of the door.

"See? I told you Videl, he's a weirdo!" Mister Satan hissed, "I'm not happy about him staying in your apartment, why don't you let him stay here instead?"

"With _Buu_ running around the place?" she scoffed, "You heard him earlier, he wanted to fight him for some reason! And besides, he'll be sleeping on the sofa. He seems innocent enough, he's just lost and scared."

"Well…" the man mustered reluctantly, "Well alright. I know you can handle yourself sweetheart. But any funny business and you be sure to call me, I'll be round there like a shot and tear that scrawny little punk limb from limb!"

Gohan sighed, resting the back of his head against the doorframe in despair. If he didn't find out a way to get information out of Vegeta without looking too suspicious then this was going to be a very, very long month.

* * *

Although it looked like a small building, the area that Videl lived in seem rather nice. The streets were clean and the pavement below them was framed by large oak trees, the green leaves wavering in the slight breeze. The stars had started to appear in the sky above, though he couldn't see much of them in the middle of the city, what with the polluted air. It was a bit disappointing, though he didn't have time to dwell on the fact, as Videl had quickly decapsulised her jet and was already dragging him down the stairwell that led to her apartment.

The place itself was a lot smaller than he was expecting, though that could have been due to the fact that he was so used to his enormous sleeping quarters back on Beerus' world. Videl's apartment consisted of a well equipped kitchen come living room, which housed a plush sofa and comfy looking armchair that surrounded a fairly sized TV. A bookcase, along with a few paintings and martial arts posters lined the walls, and scented candles that he just knew would tickle his sensitive nose when lit were dotted around the place. The coffee table similarly had books upon it, along with a laptop and a used coffee mug. Several cups and plates were drying on the draining board in the kitchen, and a stack of files and papers were spread out on the kitchen table. He caught sight of a doorway which no doubt led to her bedroom, along with another that he could see housed a bathroom. It was small, yet cosy. Though it was evident that she had not longed moved in, judging by the stacks of boxes next to the doorway, which still had bits of junk sticking out of them.

"WOOF!"

"GAH!" Gohan yelped in surprise, not one to be caught off guard by any means, as he was suddenly bowled over by a large labrador retriever that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The young saiyan cursed himself, as the excitable dog proceeded to slobber all over his face with his wet tongue. He blamed his lack of concentration and jumpy demeanour on his current predicament, for the familiar sights and sounds of Earth were utterly overwhelming his senses.

 _"Bee_!" Videl scolded, grabbing the pup by the collar and hauling him off the poor teen on the floor, "Bee no! Get _off_ him! Sit! I said sit!"

Finally, Bee obeyed, coming to heel at the girl's feet, although his tail continued to wag frantically.

"Sorry about that," Videl cringed, "I don't know what has gotten into him, he doesn't usually like strange men."

"Lucky me," the junior Destroyer drawled, wiping his sodden face with his sleeve and glaring at the mutt that was panting happily beside Videl. She did not mention that she had a dog.

"He might not look like it, but he's still in his puppy phase," she explained, as Gohan begrudgingly got back to his feet, "I'm still training him."

Bee whined, as he started forwards toward the halfling once more, prompting Videl to drag him back again, " _Bee!_ Ugh calm down you daft dog! Just what has gotten into you?"

"Don't worry," she huffed, giving Gohan an apologetic smile, "I'll keep him in my room tonight so that he doesn't bother you."

"It's alright," he replied, though he eyed the labrador uncertainty, he wasn't used to things pouncing on him so enthusiastically.

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable?" said Videl, gesturing to the sofa behind them, "I'll go and see if I've got any baggy clothes you can borrow."

"Thanks," the teen saiyan smiled, as she and Bee disappeared into the confines of her bedroom. He sighed as he sank into the cushions, casting his gaze around the living room. Well at least this set up was better than finding a cave to sleep in for the night, he thought. However, his outlook changed, when he saw the clothes that Videl had provided for him.

And so there he was around ten minutes later, the junior Destroyer of universe seven, sat across from a headstrong girl and her mangey dog on the sofa in her small apartment, dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants that were so short that they didn't even reach his ankles. That was nothing compared to the bright pink t-shirt he was wearing, which was so small that it stretched over his muscular torso, causing the fabric to gather. His entire navel was on show - resembling some kind of crop top, though to his annoyance it only made the glittery unicorn on the front look even more disfigured.

Oh how the mighty had fallen.

"I'm sorry about the shirt," Videl mustered, passing him a pillow and a couple of blankets, though it was evident that she was trying to keep herself from laughing, "It was a birthday present from my friend Erasa, though thankfully it was too big on me. I don't really do pink."

"Funny that, neither do I," Gohan griped, attempting to pull the uncomfortable shirt over his belly button once more before dumping the pillow on the sofa and getting ready to settle down for the night.

Videl snorted in amusement, though her eyes softened slightly as she spoke, "I'm sorry about my dad earlier, he can be a little overprotective."

"It's fine really," he replied, smoothing out the blankets, "I like him, he's a funny bloke."

Though he couldn't help but think but 'little' was an understatement. He had thought that Whis and Beerus were overprotective of him - honestly, he only got lost in the demon realm _one_ time, and it was as if all of HFIL had broken loose.

It took a moment for him to realise that Videl was looking at him as though he was crazy. Attempting to avert the conversation away from the awkwardness of Mister Satan, the halfling drew her attention to the bookcase behind her. The majority of books were on martial arts, and he spotted a large number of trophies and medals displayed on the shelves amongst them.

"So, you're a martial artist?" he asked, nodding towards the trophies.

"Sort of," she replied off-handedly, "I've been training since I was seven."

"With your dad?"

"Yeah, but I don't train so much with him anymore," said Videl, suddenly becoming more interested in the glass of water in her hands.

Gohan raised an eyebrow, he had interrogated a lot of people over the years, and from his experience he could see by her nervous gesture that she was definitely hiding something. Still, whatever it was wasn't any of his concern, he doubted he would see her again after he had gotten hold of Vegeta or the dragonballs.

Wait...

Videl and her father knew about Majin Buu, including his destructive nature from what he could gather from their whispers outside of the bathroom earlier. And Whis had said that the Z-Fighters had wished for the Earthlings memory of Majin Buu to disappear apart from those that were directly involved in the chaos that had unfolded at the point of his release. Did that mean that _Videl_ was there? Her father certainly was. Did she know of his friends and family? Talk to them? Fight alongside them even? She certainly was strong for a regular human that was a given.

His mind was whizzing with possibilities, though before he could ask her any more questions, did the girl let out a big yawn and scratched Bee behind the ears.

"I should be going to bed," Videl sighed, "Goodnight Beerus, sleep well. C'mon Bee."

"Woof!"

"Thanks, goodnight," he mustered weakly, before collapsing on the sofa as soon as her bedroom door closed with a snap.

Gohan groaned, smacking himself in the head. He literally couldn't have bumped into a worse person at his grave.

 _"Well well, you certainly know how to keep things interesting,"_ Z chimed from where he was hidden underneath his garb in the corner.

The teenager glared in the legendary sword's general direction, "Oh give it a rest will you?"

 _"I'm just saying, this could be a good thing you know,"_ said Z indifferently, _"Hey, your family and friends might found who you are and all the horrors of what you've become but at least you get to have some fun out of being here. I know I would if I was you, ho ho!"_

"What are you on about?" Gohan frowned.

 _"The girl of course!"_ he tutted, causing the young saiyan to roll his eyes.

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

_"Don't play innocent with me sonny boy, I saw the way you were looking at her."_

The halfling spluttered, heat rising to his cheeks, "I was not!"

" _Gohan and Videl, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_

"Do you _want_ me to destroy you?" he glowered angrily.

" _Ha! I'd like to see you try,"_ The voice scoffed, " _Even if you managed to, what good would that do you?"_

Gohan clicked his tongue in aggravation, "You're infuriating."

" _And you're just kidding yourself."_

 _"Goodnight_ Z," the teenager sighed, pulling off his restrictive unicorn shirt and slipping in between the blankets, rolling over in order to get more comfortable.

" _Yeah yeah, goodnight. Damn teenagers."_

Though Gohan did not close his eyes, instead his gaze was focussed on the small gap in between the living room curtains, from where he could see the twinkling stars above. It was odd, being back on Earth after so much time had passed, though his mind was not focussed on the memories of his youth that he thought would appear. No, instead Z's words seemed to echo in his ears, and as he finally closed his eyes, the image of Videl popped into his mind. Her long lashes fluttering at him as she spoke from across the table back at Mister Satan's mansion, that dangerous glare she had given him back at his grave, the way she playfully rolled her eyes, causing his breath to hitch in his throat. It was a shame that he would have to leave eventually, Videl beheld a beauty that he had never admired so much before, or that had so much effect on him. That, and her stubborn, forceful nature was something that had surprised yet enticed him to no end.

He shook himself mentally, attempting to subdue the butterflies that had suddenly erupted in his stomach. He had a duty to uphold after all, a job, a quest and a possible battle to face. He couldn't afford to get distracted. However, in his heart of hearts he knew that it would take some time to get those blue eyes out of his mind.

* * *

_Originally Posted: 5th September, 2018._


	10. Legacy Of The Delivery Boy

Peace and quiet.

The mere notion had been lost on him for a very long time. For he was always ready for the next adventure, barely finishing one before he was on to the next. Everyday he was training relentlessly, pushing his body to reach new heights with no time for rest. He faced death defying battles, one after the other, ready should the next one to appear on the horizon needed his help. Even sleeping in had become a distant memory…

_"You can sleep when you're a God!" Lord Beerus had told him once when he had whined about the continuous early mornings. "Or dead!"_

_"But I_ **_am_ ** _dead," a fifteen year old Gohan huffed with a roll of his eyes from where he was wrapped in his bed linen like a cocoon._

_"I mean non-existent!" The God of Destruction had snapped from the bottom of the winding staircase, "Which you will become if you don't drag that sarcastic pubescent behind of yours out of that cesspool you call a bedchamber!"_

Whether it be a deity shouting in his face or an abundance of exploding sand-timers that did the trick, Son Gohan had long forgotten what it was like to rise from dreamland naturally. The morning sunlight tickled his handsome face as it shone through the curtains, the sound of chirping birds drifting in through the open window. He sighed in contentment, relishing in the peace that his first morning on Earth had brought him.

Though sadly, it didn't last.

"WOOF!"

"ARGH!" The teenager cried, as the labrador landed heavily on his stomach, proceeding to lick his face for all it was worth.

"Geroff!" Gohan growled, trying to push the excitable creature off him as gently as he could.

"Bee! Get _down_! Sit!" he tried again, but it was no use.

With a sigh, the young saiyan snapped his fingers so that the dog levitated off his torso and flew to the other side of the room, where he landed on the armchair across from him with a loud yelp. He wasn't hurt by any means, Gohan had been particularly careful about that. Though it had certainly startled the lovable pup, who had immediately quietened down, his tail no longer wagging.

"Look, it's nothing personal," said Gohan, sitting upright, "It's just that your breath is just as bad as Beerus' in the morning."

Bee whined, though the resumed wagging of his tail told the teen that he hadn't upset him too much.

"Are you talking to yourself again?"

He looked up suddenly, as Videl stepped into the room, sipping a mug of coffee. Good timing, he reasoned, as if she was a millisecond earlier he would have had to explain how her dog had managed to fly himself across the room.

"No," he grinned back, the playful look she was giving him causing the butterflies in his stomach to attack, "Bee and I are bonding."

"Woof! Woof!"

The girl rolled her eyes in amusement, "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine," the young saiyan lied. In all honesty it was the worst nights sleep he'd had in a long time, Videl's sofa was a definite downgrade compared to his comfy double bed on Beerus' world. His back ached from the uncomfortable position he'd slept in, and his legs cramped from where he'd had them scrunched up all night due to the fact that he was too tall to stretch out completely.

"Good," she smiled back, before looking down at her wristwatch, "Oh shit, I'm going to be late for work at this rate. Let's get going Bee."

"Work?" the halfling quirked, as the labrador obediently jumped down from the sofa and bounded over to the front door, awaiting his master's next command.

It was only then did Gohan get a good look at what she was wearing, too focussed on those distracting eyes of hers. She had mentioned that she worked for the police when she had brushed off her father's worrying yesterday, and her attire most certainly confirmed it. The Satan girl was wearing a deep blue police uniform, complete with a crisp white shirt and black tie. Her long raven hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, in order to fit the matching blue hat upon her head. The shiny gold badge on her chest read _OSCPD_ which Gohan guessed translated to Orange Star City Police Department. A chunky black belt held several holsters in which guns and handcuffs were nestled inside, a pair of black army boots completed her attire, along with fingerless gloves. The teenager couldn't help but notice how her uniform clung to her figure in all the right places, and especially how tight those trousers were as she bent over to pick up her rucksack.

Swallowing the lump that had appeared in his throat, he felt the sudden need for a freezing cold shower.

_"Wowee! There's nothing like a woman in uniform!"_

Though before Gohan could offer a retort to the perverted relic, he felt a disturbance in the air around him. Whirling around faster than lightening, the young Destroyer caught Videl's keys right before they hit him in the face.

"Nice catch…" Videl blinked in shock from where she was standing in the doorway, grasping tightly onto Bee who was now on a lead. Evidently, she had been calling his name for quite some time.

"Quick reflexes!" he laughed, putting his hand behind his head in a nervous gesture.

"I should think so too, you seemed really out of it for a second there, did you not hear me talking?" she replied, her brow furrowing slightly as he bashfully shook his head, "I was just saying that you can lock up after me, you seem innocent enough. I mean, you haven't robbed me during the night."

He grinned at her, as she continued, "Help yourself to breakfast, you can have a shower if you like."

"Thanks," Gohan yawned, giving a good stretch and getting up from the sofa, the blankets falling off him, "I think I'll have a shower before breakfast, where did you say your towels were again?"

He was confused when she didn't answer, and even more so to find that her mouth was hanging open, her blue eyes fixated to his exposed chest. The teen saiyan felt heat rise to his cheeks, he had forgotten for a moment that he wasn't living on a planet with two male deities anymore, especially ones that had seen him starkers numerous times when his clothes were torn or burnt off completely during battles. In hindsight, perhaps walking around in his boxers in front of a girl he had only met yesterday wasn't the most appropriate thing to do. Though in his defence, she shouldn't have given him such tight clothes to sleep in, else he wouldn't have had to strip off during the night for want of not suffocating.

Thankfully, Videl was able to find her voice before he could, "I-In the airing cupboard. Just help yourself."

"Thanks, I'll get right on that," he said in embarrassment, walking towards the bathroom, when she stopped him.

"Oh and why don't you go and explore the city today? It might help to jog your memory," she said with a wry smile, her eyes still undressing him - though there was very little to undress at this point, "I'll be back around six anyway."

"Alright," he laughed nervously, "I'll see you in a little while!"

Her grin widened, before she disappeared over the threshold and snapped the door shut.

"In a little while?" Gohan berated himself, hitting his head off the door frame of the bathroom and causing a crack to appear in the wood, "What the hell was that Gohan? You idiot!"

_"Heh, smooth."_

* * *

Mental was the only word he could think of to describe it. Utterly, completely mental.

It wasn't too bad on the city outskirts, for Gohan could see that not much had changed in the years since he had been dead. Of course, clothing and hair styles had changed, vehicles and technology had upgraded and there were more skyscrapers dotted about the place - it was a given, some things were bound to move on in nearly a decade.

He was horrified to find however, that _people_ certainly didn't move on, especially fanatics. And simply hadn't moved on from the battle that had quite literally shook the planet eight years ago. He didn't know whether it was because the anniversary of The Cell Games was tomorrow or if the Earthlings' obsession was this great twenty-four seven. Either way it was unnerving, he thought, as he stared disbelievingly at the golden haired action figure clutched in his palm, clad in it's very own purple gi and white cape.

At first he had caught sight of a small child wearing a t-shirt with a golden haired caricature emblazoned onto the torso. He brushed it off, it could have been anything after all, some sort of trending cartoon as it were. However, he then saw another, then another and then _another_ one of those blasted t-shirts. Children, adults, babies - even somebody's cat was wearing a t-shirt which celebrated the cartoon depiction of the eleven year old saviour of Earth. The young saiyan had started to sweat, and instead rounded the corner onto the street that housed the main shopping district, where to his horror only made it a hundred times worse. At first he saw the billboard. The giant _fucking_ billboard with his face on in all his super saiyan glory which read ' _Celebrate the Life of Son Gohan, The Golden Boy Wonder, Saviour of Earth!'_

Golden Boy Wonder? He had snorted, was that seriously the best that they could come up with? Evidently it was, and Gohan had spent the last hour or so walking around the city, similarly horrified by what he found. More billboards, posters, life-sized cardboard cut outs, mugs, coasters, clothing, lunch boxes, cereals, energy drinks and even a comic book series, all dedicated to him, the boy that had defeated Cell. He didn't even want to think about the number of children he saw dressed in his replica gi as he walked the streets.

The teenager sighed in distain, glaring at the offending action figure before putting in back on the shelf. How could his mother and father have even allowed this to happen? Though he reasoned that they might not have had much of a say in the matter. The Earthlings couldn't just forget about a little kid saving the Earth so readily, and the fact that he had died in the fight had probably only added to the mania. Still, Gohan wasn't too happy about it, and it made him feel extremely uncomfortable. It was as if the people of Earth were admiring him as some sort of martyr, which he most certainly wasn't.

Though as he was contemplating destroying the merchandise shop he was standing in, which seemed to be the mass producer of this nightmare, he felt a slight tug on the trouser leg of his sweatpants.

"S'cuse me Mister, can you pass me one of those dolls please?"

It was a little girl, around four or five years old by his reckoning. She was dressed in a little purple dress with the symbol for 'peace' on the front and green dolly shoes, her wispy blonde hair falling about her face as she looked up at the young saiyan with wide dark eyes.

"It's not a _doll_ , it's an action figure," he replied with a low growl, finding himself defending the offensive toy and folding his arms across his chest, "I refuse to be in the same league as a little girl's damned barbie."

"Huh?" the girl blinked, causing Gohan to sigh.

"Why do you even want one anyway?" he spouted in annoyance, "he's nothing that special." _He nearly got the Earth destroyed, not saved it_ , he added in his head.

However, his words seemed to anger the child, as she gave him the coldest glare he had ever seen on a little girl before.

"He's a hero!" she positively snarled, "My daddy told me so himself!"

"Alright kid calm down!" Gohan mustered, holding his hands up in defence as her outburst caught the attention of several nearby customers, "I was only joking."

"Well it wasn't very funny," she huffed, turning away from him, "You're mean."

"Scathing," the halfling retorted with a roll of his eyes, "As if I haven't been called _mean_ before."

_"Wow you're really good with kids. No really, it's a wonder why people don't ask you to babysit more often."_

"She started it," the teenager hissed.

 _"Real mature,"_ scoffed Z.

The ancient relic was concealed much like his halo, though it rested on his back. He could have just banished it for safe keeping, though what with being back on Earth with no one knowing who he really was he felt somewhat comforted about having it close by. Though he was quickly starting to regret his decision.

"Why are you whispering to yourself?" asked the girl suddenly, jumping him out of his thoughts.

He frowned, "Why are you so nosy?"

To his surprise, the little blonde-haired imp giggled, "You're funny."

"I like unicorns," she said again, her eyes practically sparkling up at him.

"Good for you," said Gohan indifferently.

"Do you like unicorns?" she asked again.

"No."

"Then why are you wearing a unicorn shirt?"

Gohan closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath for want of not destroying the observant little brat on the spot. He'd had a rather testing twenty-four hours after all, it was only natural for him to be agitated. Still, he would need to keep his temper in check, it was quite unusual for him to think about destroying something so many times in one morning.

"Look little girl, where are your parents?" he griped, "I'm sure they're looking for you."

"Probably," she shrugged, "Mummy was looking at some pretty clothes across the road but I got bored so I thought I'd come and look at the shiny golden shop."

The young saiyan sighed to himself, a lost child on his hands was all he needed.

"But don't worry Mister," she told him proudly, lifting her chin in the air, "I can handle myself - look!"

The teenager quirked an eyebrow, as the little girl thrust her arms forwards in a series of rapid punches. However, she was a bit too enthusiastic for her own good as one of her fists accidentally collided with the display in front of them, causing the glass to shatter and the metal encasing to groan and twist in on itself before the whole lot collapsed in a heap, merchandise and all.

"Whoops," the girl squeaked, biting her lip as though she was about to cry.

Gohan gaped, as the dust from the destruction lifted into the air. This was certainly not a normal human child.

"Oi!" the burly shopkeeper sounded from behind the counter, as all eyes were suddenly upon them, "You'd better pay for that mess you ruffians! Stupid punk kids! What's the meaning of this-?!"

The man thundered towards them with a furious expression, his face reddening with every step as he continued to rant. Though Gohan wasn't listening, as something was clearly amiss. Everyone was clearly too distracted by the unfolding scene in the middle of the shop to notice. Though the junior Destroyer's training had taught him many things, including how to recognise a sudden shift in the air, the way the tension would grip hold of the particles as if slowing everything down for but a moment. The calm before the storm.

He felt it so suddenly that there was barely time to react, or warn the shopkeeper who was spitting profusely as he shouted in their general direction. There was a split second of complete silence as the man paused to take another breath, when it happened. The moment came in the sound of an explosion from outside, a whistle of splinters from a breaking window frame, a suffocating smell of powder. Gohan reacted instantaneously, grabbing the shop keeper and little girl by the waist and throwing them to the ground. The girl screamed, as the onslaught of sound reached their ears, though the halfling had unleashed a protective shield around the entire complex to protect them from the aftershock.

The young saiyan got to his feet with an angered growl, his onyx eyes sweeping the surrounding area as he let his shield down. It was utter pandemonium, as the occupants of the shop were suddenly in uproar, loud screams reached his ears and several bangs and scrapes could be heard as people scurried around in panic. There was a commotion outside, accompanied by blood curdling screams. The overwhelming smell of petrol fumes reached his nostrils, telling him that a car bomb was no doubt the source of the explosion. It was difficult to tell through the thick black smoke, but he was positive that no one was injured. He had certainly reacted quick enough. Despite this, it was utter chaos. He could hear the little girl whimpering from behind him, though judging by her Ki she wasn't by any means hurt, just scared. However, he didn't get a chance to offer any words of comfort, as the smoke began to clear, revealing several figures dressed head to toe in black with rubber masks hiding their faces.

"Alright listen up!" One brawny brute shouted, raising a large pistol in the air and tapping the register, "Put the money in the bag and no one gets hurt!"

Gohan's jaw dropped as the thieves stepped into the light, not quite believing his eyes. He blinked, and blinked again, as the rubber masks they were wearing depicted none other than cheap renditions of the Z-Fighters. Vegeta, Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, the future Trunks and to his horror his _father_ all stood before him, guns in hand, and barking orders at around a dozen terrified shoppers whom they had forced to the ground.

He knew that bumping into his family and friends might be inevitable whilst he was on Earth, but this was just ridiculous.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" A rather deformed Piccolo spouted, tapping his gun on the counter once more as a sobbing shop assistant fumbled in her attempt to open the till, "Get a move on bitch, we haven't got all day!"

"Yeh," an overweight, less articulate Vegeta griped, "If I even gerra whiff tha' use lot called the fuzz then yeh'll be findin' a bullet in yeh noggin'!"

In all honesty, Gohan would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious.

The closest gang member to them, Yamcha, snickered as the crowd began to whimper, "This is going to be some haul. What with the amount of money people spend in the run up to the anniversary, were going to be living like kings from now on!"

"Quit your jabberin'," Piccolo growled, grabbing fistfuls of money and aggressively shoving them in the sack that a more orange-haired super saiyan Goku was holding out for him, "It ain't over yet, we've still got the merch shop in East City to do over."

"Aw why did you have to go and give away the game for?" griped Trunks, his sealed mouth unmoving as he aimed his gun towards the quivering customers, "Now we're going to have to make sure they don't go running their mouths to the police."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Tien chuckled sadistically, pulling a dagger out of his jacket. He had one eye instead of three. "It'll be hard for them to grass on us with no tongues."

The young saiyan sighed, and prepared himself to step in when an abrupt shout sounded next to him.

"You leave them alone you big bully!" the little girl growled, hot tears in her eyes as she balled her hands up into fists.

At the sight of the brave youngster standing fiercely before them, the gang members shared a look before roaring with laughter.

"Ooh well what do you know boys?" Yamcha snickered, glowering at the child as he approached her, "A volunteer!"

This only made the brutes laugh harder, as the imposter continued, "Why don't you run along and play with your dollies little girl, before you get what's comin' to you."

"I'm not scared of you!" she cried, lifting her chin in defiance.

"Is that so?" said Yamcha with a sadistic smile as he leered towards her, "Well you should be you little blighter-"

**WHAM!**

Gohan's eyes widened, as the thug dropped to his knees with a howl of pain, clutching himself between the legs in agony. The girl's outstretched knee came back to rest, and she glared at the man on the ground as if daring him to make another move.

"You b-brat!" Yamcha's voice shook, before another wave of pain hit him and he began to sob.

At once, the rest of the gang surrounded the girl, and the fake Vegeta pointed a rather hefty machine gun towards her, his flame like hair twisted and saggy due to the awful quality of the rubber. It even flopped about his head as he spoke.

"Yeh've got guts girly," he snarled menacingly, as the crowd around them gasped with horror, some of them calling out to them to spare the girl, "Allow me to show them to yeh."

Though to the man's surprise, he couldn't move, as in a flash a hand had wrapped around his wrist stopping him in his tracks. He blinked up at the teenager who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, he didn't even see him move!

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gohan warned, his onyx eyes harding, his grip unwavering, as though he held the man's arm in a vice.

"Oh yeah pretty boy?" Vegeta growled, glaring at the tightly dressed young man, "And just what are you gonna do abou' it-?"

Though the words quickly died on his tongue, and the thug suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of impending doom, as a rather sadistic smirk crept over the teenager's lips.

* * *

**Orange Star City Police Station, Orange Star City - One Hour Earlier**

_'Data not found.'_

She frowned in confusion, tapping her fingers on the desk impatiently.

They say that curiosity killed the cat, but Videl Satan was certainly no pussy cat. The young woman was well known by her family and friends for her inquisitive outlook and stubborn attitude, after all, the events surrounding The Cell Games had always left Videl questioning the way that she perceived the world.

Life had always been fairly simple up until then. Sure, her mother had died of an aggressive heart virus when she was nine years old which only intensified her fathers protectiveness over her, as well as fuelled his obsessive desire to be the strongest under the heavens. But what was life without a bit of tragedy? Looking back, maybe her father thought that by gaining such strength, that he would be indestructable to things like diseases that had took her mother away from them. He had explained to Videl that all of his nights spent training and away from her would be worth it, that he would win The Twenty-Fourth World Martial Arts Tournament and she would never want for anything again. True to his word, he won, and Videl herself was proclaimed champion of the junior division of the WMAT. But alas, all the fame and fortune from winning had gone to her father's head, and he tried to fill the gaping whole left by Miguel Satan with money, big houses, flashy cars, adoring fans, women and booze.

It was no wonder that the headstrong girl had taken it upon herself to watch The Cell Games from the sidelines. It would have been the most time that she had spent with her father in months. Though neither she nor her father knew what he was up against, and Videl had watched with utter horror and disbelief as her father, the strongest man under the heavens, was brutally knocked out of the ring with a single slap. The small feeling of hope and relief that began to fill her heart when she found out that he was still alive was soon stifled as the blonde-haired man stepped into the ring.

It was frightening, as though living in a nightmare, as she came to realise that these people weren't normal. The man and Cell were moving so fast that it was as though they disappeared into thin air, though the tremors that shook the Earth was a sure sign that a tremendous battle was waging above her. Then suddenly, it was over, and Videl couldn't believe that a boy around her own age had taken the man's place. It had actually angered her, when the idiotic news reporter had dubbed him a delivery boy. No, delivery boys did not wear a fighting gi, and from the look in his eyes Videl knew he wasn't about to ask Cell about pizza toppings. At first she thought that the man must have been crazy, who would willingly send their son to fight such a monster?!

But then it became all too clear. The boy was even _stronger_ than the man. Stronger than Cell himself even, as she watched him dominate the evil bug to within an inch of his life. And then Cell quite rightly panicked. Videl remembered how the boy's gut wrenching screams rocked her entire being as he called out for his father, as he and Cell vanished from the realm of the living forever. Though the monster was desperate and unforgiving, and he returned to Earth with a vengeance. Now, the young Videl could not sense power levels, but she could feel _that_. The overwhelming presence of the vindictive brute whose cruel fuchsia homed in on her naively hiding behind a bolder - as if that would shield her - and aimed a white hot blast towards her.

And then _he_ was there, his strong but gentle embrace shielding her from the blast that was about to send her to the grave. He was a bundle of nerves and heart and tears and blood, that came speeding towards her without question or hesitation, saving her life and turning it upside down in that one moment. Videl couldn't believe her eyes, as she saw him in all his grandeur up close. It was as though he was on fire and being electrocuted all at the same time, his emerald eyes as hard as steel. Those eyes, they told so much. Guilt, regret, fear, loss, determination, pride, duty, honour. But then, through the hardened mask she saw a softness, a gentleness about the boy who gave her a goofy smile as she managed to find her voice and breathe out a 'thank you'. Though it was gone with the moment, and so was he. Cell had taken his life, but not before Gohan had summoned the last of his strength to take him to Otherworld with him.

Her father had held her tightly that night, and refused to let her out of his sight for about a fortnight after they had watched the young saviour of Earth die right before their eyes. To her surprise Hercule had stifled all rumours that it was _he_ that had defeated Cell, though it took a while for the Earth to truly believe that a little boy had saved them all, instead of the Champ. Soon after, Z-TV released a documentary of The Cell Games, which had told the tale and had similarly researched the origins of this Son Gohan. His family and friends, though well-known martial artists themselves, had chosen to abstain from commenting on the short film, and as such had distanced themselves from the spotlight. Though that didn't deter the world from paying their respects to the young boy and even them, marking the site where he had died with a grave. Slowly but surely, and much to Gohan's families distain, what began as small tributes evolved into an all out marketing craze. The Earthlings had gone Son Gohan mad, which peaked every time the anniversary of The Cell Games rolled around, and turned into an all out festival.

Videl had enjoyed the anniversaries at first, and had celebrated with the rest of the world. Life had seemingly gone back to normal, though she could never forget about the boy who had saved her life, and in turn given his. That, coupled with the fact that she had seen powers like no other had fuelled her desire to protect to world that Son Gohan had left behind, she felt as though she owed it to him. At the time, her best friends Erasa and Sharpener had teased her about her obsession with the golden haired preteen and suggested that all of her late night training sessions was merely an excuse to practice snogging her pillow should the young warrior suddenly reappear, just like all those slaughtered by Cell had mysteriously come back to life.

Oh yes, Videl wasn't stupid, she knew that there was something more out there, that lay beyond her mundane life, outside the imposing walls of her high school, far out of reach of her peaceful little bubble. She had seen for herself that there were beings out there of unfathomable power, entities capable of bringing the dead back to life, acting powers of the universe that she couldn't quite comprehend. Meeting the Z-Fighters at the next tournament only confirmed her suspicions. They were quite surprised when the curious teen had introduced herself as the little girl that their friend had saved at The Cell Games. After meeting Gohan's family and friends, her life had changed forever, and now she was well aquatinted with a world full of aliens, magic, warriors and more. She had stared death straight in the face in the form of Majin Buu, been to Otherworld and back again, and come out the other side. She'd thought she had seen it all, overcome every challenge she had ever faced.

And then she met Beerus.

There was no doubt that he was a strange young man, although it could be argued that Videl was even stranger, what with taking in a lost boy with amnesia, a weird name and even weirder clothes. But the Satan girl had never cared what other people thought of her, had never succumbed to the conformist society that she was often faced with in high school. Videl, being the daughter of the world champ, had been in the spotlight since before The Cell Games and as such much was expected of her. She quickly grew sick and tired of the rules and games of the school yard, fed up with the sycophants that followed her just for the recognition. She was ridiculed and taunted of course, when she stuck two fingers up to the world and decided to do things her way. She turned down invitations to swanky parties, dumped boyfriends who were only with her for fame, and cut off friendships that were nothing but lies and fake smiles. But Videl didn't care, she needed nobody but her fists, her father and her two best friends after all. She had followed her dreams, graduated from high school and got a job as a police officer, something she was immensely proud of herself for.

Her job as an officer had challenged her in new ways, and despite only passing her exams last year, she was quickly working her way up in the department. Which was why no one minded or questioned her when she asked her superior for access to the main database frame, whereby she could analyse the record of every single person registered on the planet.

It was the only logical place to start looking, she had thought to herself as she sat herself at her desk, Bee snuggled up by her feet on the floor. Though as she set up her computer she cursed under her breath, realising that she should have asked Beerus his last name. It would make it a lot easier to find an address after all. Still, she had shrugged, just how many people were called Beerus anyway? It was certainly an unusual name.

However, to her frustration and annoyance, there was nothing.

_'Data not found.'_

Videl's blue eyes narrowed at the screen, data not found? It didn't make any sense. She knew for a fact that the database had been updated not long ago, yet there seemed to be no one called Beerus on the entire planet.

Not one to be defeated, the determined Satan began to type in the teen's description. She sighed heavily, the results were still inconclusive, there were thousands of people in the world who were around six foot with dark eyes and dark hair. Why hadn't Beerus told her his last name? Was his amnesia that bad that he didn't remember? She frowned, why was he even let out of the hospital if that was the case? Come to think of it, there weren't any hospitals for miles near Son Gohan's grave! How did he even get there? He couldn't have walked surely! The terrain was far too treacherous.

Videl sighed again, closing off the database and scratching a snoring Bee behind the ears. Call it a gut feeling, but something didn't add up. Maybe Krillin had better access to the databases than she did? He had been an officer much longer than her after all, albeit in South City, maybe he could help.

" _Still nothing?_ "

She blinked, turning to her phone with an apologetic smile. She had forgotten that she was in the middle of a video call.

"Nope, nothing, nadda," Videl replied in annoyance.

" _I still cannot believe you took in some random boy off the street!"_ Erasa said disbelievingly, shaking her head. Like her, she was at work at her office job, dressed in a smart yet feminine two piece suit, the rest of her pristine office could be seen from where she had placed her device on her desk. _"And you're telling me that he's sleeping on your sofa?!"_

Sharpener was framed next to her on the screen. Being a model he didn't work nine to five, and as such was currently lounging on his bed in his dressing gown, a towel wrapped around his head as he filed his nails.

Their video chats were a common weekly occurrence, as it was rare that they all had time to meet up what with their busy schedules since leaving school.

 _"Come on E,"_ he said with a roll of his eyes, _"You know Videl wouldn't do that if she didn't have an ulterior motive."_

Erasa gasped suddenly, " _Ooh is he hot?_ "

Videl felt heat rise in her cheeks immediately, as she attempted to get the image out of her mind of the adonis standing in the middle of her living room.

"That's not the point," she stated awkwardly, clearing her throat, "He's got amnesia, I'm only trying to help him."

" _So he **is** that good looking!" _The blonde haired girl practically squealed, " _Oh my Kami, you just_ _have_ _to get a picture of him!_ "

"I am _not_ getting a picture of him for you to gawk at!" Videl hissed, "That's weird stalker behaviour!"

" _And running a background check on him isn't?"_ Sharpener scoffed, rolling on his belly to get closer to the camera.

"For your information Sharpie I was seeing if he had an address so that he could get back to his family," she positively glared at the boy, "But there's nothing! It's like he doesn't even exist!"

 _"Knew it,"_ he sighed dramatically, _"It's been so long since she's had a boyfriend that she's started hallucinating."_

"I am not!" Videl retorted hotly, as Erasa snorted with laughter, "Believe me, he's real. But I think he's forgotten what his real name is. That, or he's hiding something."

 _"Honestly Videl,"_ the girl said in an exasperated tone, " _Must you be so sceptical of every guy that you come across?"_

"You're joking right?" she retorted, "Men are all the same. They think no means yes and get lost means 'take me I'm yours'."

" _Amen sister,"_ said Sharpener.

"Not to mention that every boy I've ever dated has only been with me for fame and fortune," she continued haughtily.

" _Poor you,"_ Sharpener spouted sarcastically, " _Ms I-have-too-many-men-fawning-all-over-me-and-my-Z-list-celebrity-status Satan."_

 _"Oh shut up Sharpener,"_ Erasa scolded, _"You know that Barry Khan only went out on a date with her to get close to Mister Satan!"_

"Ugh don't remind me," Videl shuddered, the thought of that pompous two-bit actor was enough to make her skin crawl. He had spent the entire date talking about himself, before trying to stick his tongue down her throat. Though all he had gotten in return was the check and a broken nose, as Videl had walked out straight afterwards without a word. And he _still_ wouldn't stop sending her flowers.

"You know, for once it would be nice to meet someone who was more interested in me than my dad or his money," she sighed, causing her friends to look towards her in sympathy.

" _Don't worry Vi,"_ said Erasa with a kind smile, " _You said it yourself. You've got your career to focus on. You're too busy being fierce and fighting crime than to deal with pigheaded boys!"_

"Yeah you're right," she grinned back, "Thanks E."

 _"And besides,"_ quirked Sharpener, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, " _If you play your cards right then mystery boy might just graduate from the sofa to the bedroom, if you catch my drift."_

The Satan girl flushed, opening her mouth in an angry retort when her walkie talkie sounded and a serious voice crackled through the speaker.

_"Cccrrk …. Attention all available officers! Cccrrk…There has been reports of an explosion in the main shopping precinct! Cccrrk…Casualties unknown …Ccrrk… The Red Shark Gang are thought to be behind the attack…Cccrrk… I repeat, all available officers report to the City Centre immediately! Ccrrk!"_

"Shit," Videl swore, leaping up from her seat and gaining the attention of Bee, who jumped up beside her immediately, "Sorry you two, duty calls!"

" _Be careful!"_ Her friends chorused, their eyes widening before she switched off her phone and bolted from the room.

It didn't take her long to reach the main shopping district, she had decided to run with Bee rather than drive or fly, as the police station was already situated in the city centre. Though when she arrived it was utter pandemonium. Crowds of people were running away from the main street that ran through the middle of the city, clouds of smoke filled the air and there was a glow of amber fire casting shadows over the high rising buildings. The sound of firing bullets filled the air, and Videl wasted no time in running towards the epicentre, where an all out shoot out was taking place between the police and members of The Red Shark Gang.

The gutsy teen leapt in between them without hesitation, disarming the biggest brute with a flying kick, causing the firearm to clatter to the floor. The man growled, launching at her before he quickly fell to the ground in an unconscious heap, curtesy of her outstretched fist. The rest of his comrades followed suit, though Videl was more than ready, whirling around and delivering a fast uppercut to one of the thug's jaw, causing him to crash straight into another, knocking them both out on impact. Bee was right behind her, growling as he ran another criminal down before his jaw locked around his arm and he was able to drag him kicking and screaming to the ground.

"You're going to have try do better than that," She smirked, as the cool steel of a gun pressed against her temple, and the sound of ragged breathing reached her ears.

In a flash, the headstrong girl backhanded the gang member, parrying the gun out of harms way where it fired into a nearby building. The man howled in pain, holding his broken nose as blood poured unforgivingly down his face. He stumbled and fell backwards, as Videl pressed her boot into his chest so that he couldn't move.

"Alright tubby," she snarled at the large brute, as her fellow officers clapped and cheered behind her, "Where's the rest of the Sharks? I know there's more of you."

Though before he could muster a pained answer, did her walkie talkie sound from her belt.

_"Cccrk… we have a hostage situation… Ccrrk… at the Golden Boy merchandise shop…Cccrrk… thieves are armed and dangerous… requesting back up! Ccrrk!"_

With an angered growl, Videl quickly handcuffed the man below her feet, before calling Bee to heel. She ignored her colleagues who were shouting after her, warning the girl that it was too dangerous. She huffed as she left them to deal with arresting the rest of the thugs, sprinting down the street with the excitable labrador in tow, did they not know her well enough by now?

Skidding to a halt as the merch shop came into view, the teenager swiftly analysed the situation. Car bomb, detonated, though surprisingly no casualties. This was used as a distraction to get inside, and sending the rest of the gang further up the street to infiltrate police officers ensured that they could get away with the money. There were three police cars, and ten officers waiting on the outside. Barricades were up, ambulances standing by. She could see several shadows moving inside the shop, though with the blackened and shattered windows caused by the explosion, it was difficult to tell just how many hostages and gang members were inside.

"Videl!"

She whirled around at the sound of her name, and was surprised to see a beautiful blonde woman running up to her.

"Eighteen?" she blinked, as she realised her friend's icy blue eyes were widened in panic, "What are you doing here?"

"Shopping," Eighteen replied quickly, "But that doesn't matter, Marron is in there!"

Videl's mouth dropped open in shock, her gaze drifting to the half destroyed _Golden Boy Merch_ sign, "Marron?!"

"I thought she was right next to me!" the woman explained, "She must have wondered off. I was looking for her but then the explosion happened and there was people everywhere -!"

"It's ok," said Videl, swallowing her fear. She knew that Eighteen was blaming herself, but it wasn't her fault that the android couldn't sense Ki, Dr Gero had not equipped her with the sensors to harness that ability. She felt her helplessness, as she had only just gotten the knack of it herself.

"I can sense her, she's fine," the girl continued, causing the android to sigh in relief, "Now what do you say we go and bust some heads open?"

Eighteen raised an eyebrow in amusement, "I knew there was a reason I've always liked you."

"Lets go!" Videl cried, ignoring the exasperated shouts of the officers as she and Eighteen leapt into action, jumping over the police cars that closed off the road to the public. They were ready to fight that was a given, no one threatened little Marron and got away with it.

Though just as they reached the other side of the pavement, the door opened, and out stepped around a dozen patrons who looked rather shook up, but uninjured and very much alive. They were met by cheers by the small crowd outside, and taken safely beyond the barricades to receive medical attention. Videl and Eighteen shared a confused glance, where was the gang? And Marron?

Without a moment to loose, and determination in her eyes, Videl crossed the splintered and damaged threshold, her gun raised ready to threaten the gang into submission, Bee hot on her heels. However, her gun immediately came to rest by her side at the sight that greeted her. Her jaw dropped, her eyes widened as the rest of The Red Shark Gang lay unconscious at her feet, a brute in a cheap Vegeta mask lying face down with a gun painfully sticking out of a rather intimate place.

"You just had to ask didn't you?" a young man said with mild annoyance, standing in the middle of the devastation, though his arms were folded triumphantly across his chest.

"Beerus?" Videl quirked disbelievingly, her suspicions that he was hiding something only growing when the teenager jumped, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"V-Videl?" he practically squeaked, his onyx eyes darting about him, "I, uh -"

"What happened?" she demanded, though her eyes were still widened in shock.

Though before he could answer, Eighteen rushed forwards, gathering Marron into her arms and holding her tightly to her bosom.

"Oh Marron!" she cried, nuzzling her nose with hers and causing her to giggle, "Are you alright?"

Videl eyed Beerus with a frown, who seemed to have let out an odd squawking sound at the sight, his jaw practically on the floor. How strange…

"I'm fine Mummy," said Marron happily, "Mister unicorn man protected me!"

At once, the two women looked at the teen beside them, who seemed to sweat under their penetrative stare.

"Oh really now?" said Videl, her eyes narrowing.

"Well," Beerus gulped, "All I did was shout at them a bit. The fumes from the car bomb must have caused them to pass out… we didn't get that close to it so I suppose me and Marron here must have been okay."

The Satan girl continued to stare, though there was something in his explanation that she couldn't help but believe. There didn't seem to be a mark on the unconscious gang members, except…

"How did that gun get _there_ then?" Videl pointed at the fake Vegeta, giving Beerus a disbelieving look.

He shrugged, "Must have fell on it."

She glared at him, before turning to the little girl in Eighteen's arms, "Is that true Marron?"

"I didn't see anything," Marron replied, "Mister Unicorn was shouting at them and then they all fell down!"

Suspicious, she thought.

"Well thanks for looking after my daughter," said Eighteen, though her features remained as stoic as ever, "Whoever you are."

"This is Beerus," Videl explained, "We met yesterday, he's got amnesia. I'm trying to help him get back to his family so he's staying with me for a while."

The android nodded simply, her icy blue eyes surveying him, as he spoke with a charming smile.

"Yeah I was just exploring the city to see if it triggered my memory when I ran into your daughter," said Beerus, "She's a firecracker by the way, got one of them right in the nuts before they passed out."

A ghost of a smile played on her lips before she turned to Videl, "Thanks for your help Videl, we'd better going before Krillin has an anreyiseum. You know how my dear husband can be."

The girl laughed, though she couldn't help but notice how Beerus' jaw dropped again, "Good to see you Eighteen, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You got it," she replied, as Marron tugged on her sleeve.

"But Mummy, I wanted a Wonder Boy toy!"

Eighteen shook her head, making their way out of the shop, "Maybe another time kiddo, you know how Aunt Chi-Chi feels about those."

"You're right, I don't want to make Auntie Chi-Chi sad," sighed the girl, before turning around to wave behind her, "Bye Videl! Bye Bee! Bye Mister Unicorn!"

Videl waved, chuckling as a vein in Beerus' temple started to throb. It didn't look like she was going to get any straight answers out of him, whether it was due to the amnesia or not, and what with her results having come up inclusive so far, she had only one more idea left to try.

"Splendid work PC Satan!" a booming voice cut across them, as her boss made his way through the broken window. He was a portly man, with greying hair and kind eyes. He grinned widely, nodding at the unconscious Red Sharks in approval.

"But Sarge, I didn't-," she started, but the moustached man interrupted her.

"Nonsense my girl!" he chimed, giving her a wide smile, the glasses her was wearing sliding down his nose as he spoke, "The lads told me how you took down those ruffians in the middle of that shoot on Orin street! And then I get here to congratulate you and you've taken out the rest of The Red Shark gang single handedly! At this rate Videl, you'll be promoted Sergeant in no time!"

Videl couldn't help but laugh, heat rising to her cheeks, "Don't be silly Sarge, you know I wouldn't dream of sending you into early retirement."

The Sergeant chortled happily, before the young man standing next to her caught his eye, "And just who is this Videl? I don't think your father would be too happy knowing that you're hanging around boys who wear such tight clothes."

"He's just a friend Sarge," she told the man, ignoring Beerus' scowl.

"Well I'll leave you to it in that case PC Satan," he laughed, clapping her on the shoulder, "Why don't you take the rest of the day off? You've earned it. And give my best to your father you hear? Tell him I'll have to arrange another poker night."

"Oh I will, and thank you Sir!" Videl grinned, turning to her new mysterious companion with triumph, for now she would have ampule time to execute her plan, "Fancy going for a coffee Beerus?"

Oh yes, Videl Satan was no pussy cat, and the enigma that was Beerus was not going to best her. Erasa and Sharpener were wrong. It was her duty as a police officer, as a protector of the planet, to help out the weak and needy after all. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that he was stark raving, schoolgirl-crush worthy, greek-godly, downright insanely bonkers madly stop and throw-your-knickers-at-him good looking.

Right?

* * *

_Originally posted: 9th September, 2018._


	11. Fleeting Chances

Gohan had never liked coffee, the taste far too bitter for his liking. He remembered sneaking a sip from his mother's cup when he was a child, and had nearly retched at the strong taste that had left a horrid coating on his tongue. Over a decade later and the taste was no different, he still hated the stuff. So it was beyond him why he had even agreed to accompany Videl to the little coffee shop on the corner, let alone drink several mugs of the vile concoction. And no amount of sugar he put in it made it any better.

It was evident that Videl was suspicious of him, and how could she not be after she had found him surrounded by a pile of unconscious bodies? The headstrong girl wanted answers. Answers as to where he had come from, what hospital he had been in, what ward, whether he remembered his last name and the list went on. Though Gohan could give her no such validtion, which only gave the tiny vixen leverage to exact her brilliant plan.

And as the ancient stone of Korin's tower came into view, he realised that he should have just went with his gut feeling and ran for the hills.

He _really_ hated coffee.

The young saiyan had had quite enough for one day thank you very much. In just a few short hours he had found out that he was nothing short of a celebrity, been threatened, exploded on, beaten up some thugs, accused of having an obsession with unicorns and ran into non other than Krillin and Android Eighteen's _daughter_. Now that was a shock, even more so when he had seen the killing machine intended for his father run up and cuddle the little girl in the middle of the shop. How had that relationship even happened anyway? Could androids even _have_ babies? Evidently so, as little Marron bore features of both of her parents. Still he was happy for them, especially Krillin, he had always wanted a family. He had been apart of his for so long.

It was a good job that he had hesitated and didn't destroy Eighteen right there on the spot. People had the potential to change after all, and from what he could tell, it looked as though the android had fit into their odd little group just as well as any evil-doer turned good before her. So he should have listened to the warning signs, the alarm bells ringing in his head when Videl suggested that she take him to meet a couple of friends of hers in order to try and get his memory back. Great Zalama above, why did he find it so difficult to say no to those eyes?

But alas, he was frozen. Frozen to the passenger seat of her jetcopter, as Videl started the vertical incline up to The Lookout, Bee drooling over his shoulder from the backseat. The amount of caffeine in his system only exacerbated his nerves as he realised that he would have to lie, lie through his teeth for want of them not getting hurt, of _him_ getting hurt when he had to say goodbye again.

They burst through the clouds all too soon, and the gleaming marble tiles of The Lookout came into view. Nostalgia, fear and excitement gripped him all at once, and Videl looked over at him smugly, mistaking his pale face and nervousness for something else altogether. It was as if she was introducing him to her world, but he had been apart of it all along.

The teenager couldn't help himself, and stretched out his senses, relishing in the strong Ki of his old mentor. And bloody _hell_ was it a lot stronger than when he had last sensed it. Piccolo's energy accompanied Dende and Mister Popo, and Gohan could have cried both out of grief and joy, as the familiar pulsating energies of his old friends washed over his senses. The jet landed, and the three in question stood awaiting them, with Dende and Mister Popo smiling brightly at the Satan copter. He still didn't quite understand how Videl knew them, but it must have been due to the the events surrounding Cell or Majin Buu. They stepped down from the cockpit, and his heart practically soared as he felt that familiar tap of his boots against the marble tiles.

"Videl!" Dende gushed, running over and embracing her, Bee jumping up him in excitement and barking madly, "What brings you up here?"

Gohan couldn't help but smile at his old friend. The young Namekian was nearly as tall as he was, donned in the ceremonial red and white robes of Earth's Guardian, with a long wooden staff clutched within his palm - previously belonging to Kami.

"Hi Dende, Mister Popo, Piccolo," Videl grinned at them.

The young saiyan couldn't bring himself to look his mentor in the eye, though with a pang in his chest did he hear him muster, "Hey kid."

"Shall I pop the kettle on?" asked Mister Popo, patting the labrador on the head as he began to calm down, his tail wagging enthusiastically.

"That would be lovely Mister Popo, thank you," she smiled, before turning to Dende, "Actually, I came up here to ask a favour of you. This is my friend, Beerus. We only met yesterday, and he has amnesia. I really want to help him remember his past and get back to his family. Do you think you can heal him? I think his knock to the head might have damaged some brain cells."

"A little unorthodox Videl," Piccolo stated gruffly as Gohan scowled at her, "Is it wise to bring him here and not to a hospital?"

"He says he's been to hospital," she explained, eyeing the young saiyan in question before giving them a pleading look, "He's all alone and I found him wondering around by the gr - uh, city. Please? He doesn't freak out easily I promise. He sat with Buu all through dinner yesterday!"

The halfling frowned, surprised at her lie. Why didn't she tell Piccolo that she found him at his grave? Was his death still all too raw for them? He suddenly felt a sickly feeling of guilt swirl in his stomach.

"Well alright, Dende can see to him," said the Namekian warrior, a smirk now playing on his lips, "So, are you keeping up with your training?"

Before the teenager could ask what on earth his old mentor was talking about, did he feel Dende's presence hovering over him.

"Hullo, I'm Dende," he smiled politely, it nearly broke Gohan's heart.

"Beerus," he stated with a small smile.

"Would you care to sit for me?" the Namekian asked, "I need to have a look at what's going on in your mind for me to heal parts of your memory that are missing, pathways that are broken. It may take a while, you'll be more comfortable."

Uh oh.

If Dende looked into his mind, he would be discovered. Though at first, he wondered why they hadn't recognised him straight away. He didn't think he had changed all that much, but he must have. He was taller, more muscular and scarred, with a much deeper voice and long hair to boot. His features were more defined, chiseled. He now resembled a man, not the child that they had lost eight long years ago.

"Don't worry, I promise it won't hurt," the young guardian smiled reassuringly, "Please sit."

Reluctantly, he obeyed. He would have to try and block off his mind somehow. But his emotions were running away with him, his mind was all over the place, all kinds of memories spewing forth and leaving him unable to contain them.

He could pretend to jump to his death off of The Lookout, he reasoned, but Piccolo would be sure to catch him.

He sighed in distain, as the familiar warmth of Dende's healing hands encompassed him. He closed his eyes tightly shut, trying to focus. But with Piccolo and Videl's voices surrounding him, along with the memorable smells and sounds of The Lookout assaulting his senses, it was impossible to still his mind. And his old friend caught on straight away.

Dende let out a startled gasp, abruptly retracting his hands and causing the warmth to leave him completely. Gohan opened his eyes, the onyx orbs boring deeply into his friend's.

 _Dende,_ he pleaded through a telepathic link, _Dende, please don't say anything._

 _G-Gohan?_ The young deity asked, his eyes widening to the size of saucers, _I-is it really you?!_

 _Please Dende, I don't want them to know,_ he spoke tentatively, trying to keep calm, _Not yet, please._

 _B-but how?!_ His features were strained now, as if he was going to spontaneously combust, laugh and cry all at the same time.

 _I promise I'll explain everything, but only to you as Earth's guardian, it's only proper,_ he informed him, _I'm begging you Dende. Look, Piccolo and Videl are staring at us now. Tell them that my brain injury is severe and you need to take me into the temple and I'll explain everything there, away from them._

Immediately, his old friend sprang to his feet, pretending to help the teenager up and turning quickly to the others, "Oh my! His brain injury is quite severe! I need to take him into the temple to further examine him!"

And with that they were off, with Gohan rolling his eyes at the state of hurriedness in his tone - it was anything but subtle. Though he didn't really have time to scold the young Namekian, when he was suddenly bundled into a darkened corridor and pulled into a fierce hug.

"Dende," he couldn't help but chuckle, patting his sobbing friend on the back, "Dende calm down for a minute. Bloody hell mate, I can't explain anything to you if you're in this state."

Dende pulled back, tears coursing down his fevered cheeks even though he was positively beaming at him, "Oh Gohan! Gohan I can't believe it's really you! I didn't even recognise you! I thought you were dead! Where have you been?! Shenron wouldn't let us bring you back! We thought you were lost! How long have you been on Earth?! Where is -?!"

He was quickly silenced, by Gohan slapping a hand over his mouth.

" _Be quiet!_ " he hissed, "I don't want Piccolo knowing who I am! And I doubt that his hearing has gotten any worse in eight years!"

"B-but why?!" He gasped, as soon as the teen had released him, although he was a little quieter this time round, "You're back! Your parents will be thrilled! I just can't believe it!"

"I'm not staying," Gohan sighed, and he could have sworn Dende's antenna drooped.

"W-what?"

"I can't stay Dende," he attempted to explain, "There's a reason why Shenron couldn't bring me back to life. I've been chosen for a higher purpose. It's sort of the reason I'm here really, I only got back yesterday. And after this task is well… complete, I have to go back."

"Back where?" His eyes widened, he was so full of questions, "H-higher purpose? And what kind of task? I'm sure that Piccolo and the others -"

"I can't tell them," he stated, rubbing his temples in frustration, "You can't let anyone know I'm here. If my mum and dad find out, they'll want me to stay, permanently. But if I don't achieve my goal here on Earth and take on this role I've been given, the universe will cease to exist."

His friend was nearly bowled over by the revelation, "The _universe_?! Gohan please, whatever is going on, please let us in. We've all missed you all so, so much you have no idea -"

Gohan quickly cut across him, "I _know_ Dende. Please, this is killing me too. But this, this role…well, it has to be me."

"But I don't understand," his friend argued, "Gohan, if there's something bad happening in the universe, we could always ask The Supreme Kai to -"

The young saiyan couldn't help but scoff, "This goes way higher than The Supreme Kai Dende, trust me."

He stopped short, his eyes widening to the size of saucers, "There are people _above_ The Supreme Kai?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," he said lowly, "There are beings out there with unfathomable power, power that you couldn't even begin to dream of."

Dende snorted, "Sounds like someone your dad would want to meet."

"Yeah, exactly," Gohan huffed, "Which is another reason why I'm not telling him I'm here. If he finds out what I am -"

"What do you mean?" Dende frowned, causing the halfling to cringe, realising his mistake, "What do you mean 'what you are'? You're not making any sense! Gohan, I'm your friend, please tell me. I'm just concerned about what you might be getting yourself into."

The teenager ran his fingers through his hair out of frustration as he let out a shaky breath, the guardian's penetrative stare never leaving him.

"You are troubled, old friend," he observed, "I saw it in your mind. Please, just tell me, it can't be that bad."

Gohan gave him a pointed look, and the Namekian stared back, his stance unwavering.

Finally, the young saiyan sighed, "When I died, my body and soul didn't get a chance to reach The Otherworld. Instead, I was taken to a different dimension, a dimension of Gods."

Dende blinked, "Like the Sacred Realm of The Kai's?"

"Sort of," he tried to explain gently, "Although the Kai's are Gods of Creation, and these deities are well…the opposite."

"The _opposite_ of creation?" The young Namekian gulped, aghast, "G-Gohan, you're not saying - "

"I've been trained by these deities ever since I died, in order to take over the role of the current God when he eventually dies," the teen continued, cutting across him, "but there's something evil coming, and we think we know the cause. This person is all kinds of corrupt, and they continue to build power from where they are trapped in a dark dimension. If he were to escape, it would threaten the mere existence of our universe as we know it. Because of this, I was sent to Earth to find out about a prophecy in order to help me achieve a divine power a lot faster than I would have without it. My superiors aren't letting on much, but I have a hunch that this power might be needed to stop him."

He watched as Dende continued to stare at him with wide eyes, attempting to process everything he had said.

"I don't expect you to do anything, and I'm not looking for help," said Gohan firmly, "It's my duty now. My responsibility."

"Y-you," he mustered weakly, though the teenager couldn't tell whether his voice was shaking due to awe or fear, "A divine power? You're training to take over a God?"

He nodded, as the young guardian swallowed thickly, realisation hitting him all at once, "But if this deity is the opposite of creation then that must mean a-a-!"

"That's right Dende," the halfling stated, studying his friend's reaction carefully, "I'm training to become the God of Destruction."

* * *

It took a while to calm Dende down, and he even had to put a force field around him to nullify his screams. The young Namekian had reacted in the same way that Gohan had predicted, though he was elated to see that his friend didn't kick him off The Lookout or refuse to even to look at him. Given his esteemed position, Dende knew all about the importance of maintaining a balance in the universe, though he was more than relieved when the halfling had reassured him that he had not destroyed anything without reason.

Though the young saiyan was deflated when the guardian informed him that he had never heard of this so called Super Saiyan God form, although his father and Vegeta had managed to achieve the third level of super saiyan much to his pride. They certainly weren't letting up in their training from what he could tell. It was good to know that they hadn't become complacent in times of peace, as he knew that the Earth would still need protecting even after Majin Buu. Still, he was no closer to understanding about this prophesied warrior, and was beginning to come to terms with the fact that he had to make a plan to speak with Vegeta in disguise. There was no way he could last a month here before he was able to summon the dragonballs. He had nearly gone a whole day without fighting or training, something that was unheard of. The only time he had skipped training was when he was recovering from severe injuries. However, he didn't see how he could get any training done whilst on Earth without his power attracting the Z-Fighters. He was already starting to get worried that he was falling behind in his strict regime.

The conversation had ended shortly after that, and although Dende was sad to see his friend go, Gohan promised that he would return to bid him farewell before Whis came and retrieved him. Stepping out of the temple, the young saiyan noticed that it was already dark. A small, nostalgic smile crept across his lips as he had almost forgotten just how clear the atmosphere was up here. A blanket of stars appeared to envelope the entire Earth, shining like diamonds amongst the velvet sky. It was so clear that he could even make out the constellations, taking his memories back to a time before Cell, when he and Dende would sit on top of The Lookout as kids, mapping out the pictures in the stars.

Such was a rare time of peace, no less than a week before he had left the world forever. His parents had never allowed him to stay out so late, but this was a entirely different circumstance, Cell's tournament was in ten days, and it might have been the only time they had left. Little did Gohan know that for him it would be, and he was thankful to his mother and father for letting him have those moments, for they held a precious place in his heart.

A shooting star suddenly darted across the night sky, casting shadows in his onyx eyes. The young saiyan sighed to himself, and continued on his path. He was halfway across the sanctuary, when he realised that Videl was nowhere in sight. He frowned in confusion, stretching out his senses and feeling her Ki back in Orange Star City.

Speaking of energy, the Ki signature of his beloved old mentor was standing right behind him.

The teenager whirled around, giving the tall Namekian the most innocent smile he could muster.

"Oh hello," he chimed, "Have you seen Videl?"

"I told her to head home so that you could rest," Piccolo replied gruffly, his stare burning holes in Gohan's facade.

"Well, there really is no need," he said hurriedly, the fake smile still plastered across his face as he began to walk away, "I'll just be on my way now, thank you Sir."

"Oh but I think you know that there is a need," smirked Piccolo, pausing as he eyed the teen up and down, "Gohan."

Gohan stiffened, stopping dead in his tracks, knowing all too well that he had given the game away seen as he had visibly flinched.

The young saiyan turned back around uselessly, "W-what?! I don't know what you're-"

"Don't lie to me kid, I'd recognise those eyes anywhere."

Busted, he thought, as the Namekian strode over to him, a glint in his eye that the halfling was certain held malicious intent.

"P-Piccolo, I-I can explain -"

He was cut short however, as he suddenly found his face colliding with his old mentor's chest. He blinked in surprise, as Piccolo's arms wrapped around him in a forceful embrace. He could feel his heart pounding beneath his ribcage, as his fingers stroked his hair, grasping onto him so tightly as if he was afraid that he would disappear beneath his fingertips.

"Piccolo…" Gohan whispered, tears prickling the corners of his eyes as he wrapped his own arms around the man's torso, returning the hug that he had waited so long to feel.

"Kid," Piccolo started, his voice thick with emotion, though the teenager could tell that he was desperately trying to hide it, "You won't believe what you put us through."

"I'm sorry," he sniffed, clearing his throat in a vain attempt to keep himself together, "I really am, but I -"

"I heard everything," he stated, finally breaking free of their embrace, and looking him up and down, his hands resting on his broad shoulders, "You've gotten taller."

"And yet you haven't changed," Gohan smiled, allowing the Namekian to ruffle his hair again, just like when he was a young boy.

"That reminds me, how did you change? Aren't you still dead?" he asked, though Gohan tried to ignore the pain in his eyes as he said that last word.

"Yup," he replied, wavering the concealment to show off his halo, "I have to hide this so that I don't draw too much attention whilst I'm on Earth."

"If you're trying to keep a low profile then I would suggest changing your clothes," Piccolo snorted, eyeing his exposed stomach, "Nice unicorn."

Gohan scowled, which only caused the Namekian to emit a small chuckle, "These are Videl's clothes if you _must_ know."

"Like that makes it any better."

"Look, I was basically stranded by my esteemed colleagues and left with bugger all," The teenager sighed with a roll of his eyes, before grinning up at him, "Fancy helping me out?"

Piccolo smirked, placing a hand over his head, "I got you kid."

In a white flash of light, Gohan felt a lot comfier. He looked down, and smiled at the attire that Piccolo had chosen for him. Grey skinny jeans and black and white sneakers, along with a tight purple t-shirt which showed off his muscular arms and chest.

"Couldn't stray away from the purple, could you Mister Piccolo?" He teased, using the nickname he had called him when he was a child. It felt so good to say it.

"It's my signature colour," He replied in amusement, before he caught the disgruntled look on the teenager's face. "What's the matter?"

"Aren't these jeans a little… tight?" he asked, tugging on them, they were like leggings!

Piccolo growled, "Stop whining, it's what the kids your age wear these days."

"But they're so restrictive!" Gohan protested, raising up a leg and kicking at the air, "How is anyone supposed to fight in these?!"

"You said you wanted to fit in didn't you?"

"Well yeah, but -" he started, but his old mentor quickly cut across him.

"Then deal with it," he stated gruffly, folding his arms across his chest, "I'm not a damned personal shopper, and I'm certainly not beaming you up a whole wardrobe."

"Fine, I'll wear them," said Gohan, "But I will need some more clothes."

Piccolo was about to tell him where to shove it, when he caught sight of the puppy eyes he was giving him. The kid knew full well that he could not resist that look.

"Is it working?" the halfling asked, as his bottom lip began to tremble.

The Namekian warrior sighed in defeat, causing the teen to grin in triumph. Every time.

"I'll do it after you've explained to me how you've grown whilst you're still dead," said Piccolo, eyeing him, "I don't remember any of us getting older when we died."

"Well, when you die as a kid you have a choice of whether to grow up or not," he explained, "Something about the rules of Otherworld and giving children a chance at the life they would have had. I chose to get older, I think I thought it would have been sad to never know what getting older felt like."

"It's no joy ride I can tell you that," Piccolo huffed, still staring at him. There was an emotion in his eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"It's not been too bad so far," Gohan shrugged, "Besides, I was fed up of being called shortie all of the time."

His old mentor smirked at that.

"Who knows when," the teenager continued, "But they'll be a point when I'll stop ageing, or revert back to my prime as it were. Probably when I take over from Lord Beerus, he's millions of years old and he doesn't look like an old man."

"Lord Beerus?" Piccolo quirked, "Is that the God of Destruction?"

"Yeah," said Gohan, "It's who I'll be taking over from when the time comes. Whis, the Angel that is bound to this universe and trains us, says that it might only be a few centuries."

The Namekian shook his head in disbelief, though there was still a ghost of a smile on his lips, "Angels, Gods of Destruction… I still can't believe it, and I thought we had heard it all when we met The Supreme Kai last year."

"Yeah, too bad you haven't heard of this Super Saiyan God," the teenager said dejectedly, "It would make my afterlife a lot easier."

"Super Saiyan God," Piccolo repeated, as though trying to wrap his head around the words themselves, "I never thought that such a thing was even possible."

"You and me both," said Gohan, "You heard me talking to Dende. I don't know how to figure it out. Dad and Vegeta certainly can't do it."

"Maybe Vegeta knows of the prophecy, he is the prince of saiyans after all," Piccolo suggested thoughtfully, "And we could always ask Shenron."

"Yeah believe me I've already thought of both those options," he replied, folding his arms across his chest, "My only real option is talking to Vegeta, but I don't know how to get it out of him without him becoming suspicious. We can't summon Shenron for another month, and even if it comes to that I don't know how I'll be able to do it without those nosy parkers finding out."

"You really don't want to see anyone?"

Gohan looked towards his old friend, who was eyeing him carefully, an aura of sadness and disappointment surrounding him. Though his gaze was focussed and unwavering, as if daring the teenager to challenge him.

Slowly, the teen shook his head sadly, "I didn't even want to come here in the first place. I made peace with my decision a long time ago Piccolo. I just know that it's what I'm destined to do."

Piccolo watched silently as the halfling sighed, unable to hide his feelings from the man who had taught him so much, "Although sometimes, sometimes I wish that I was doing more creating than destroying."

"Destruction is just as important as creation," the Namekian said wisely, "And it's not like you're going around murdering people Gohan."

"Feels like it."

Piccolo placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Do you feel as though you have something to prove?"

He looked up suddenly, stricken by his words. Good old Mister Piccolo, he could see right through him. Some things never change.

"A little," he offered glumly, Kami he was awful at lying, "What happened at The Cell Games, Cell nearly destroyed everything and I-"

"Gohan you _died_ ," his old mentor pressed, grabbing both of his shoulders and looking directly into his eyes, "That was _more_ than enough. Gods above, you were just a child! You should have never been put into that situation in the first place. And now you're taking on such an enormous responsibility again?! Becoming a God is no easy feat, especially one of Destruction. You have nothing to prove to anyone!"

"I've made my choice Piccolo!" He snapped suddenly, his voice rising, emotions getting the better of him, "I _have_ to do this. I can't just abandon this post, especially not after everything I've sacrificed! If I don't use all this power and potential I have inside to the best of my ability, if I ignore my duty, then the balance of the universe will be in danger! Not to mention there's the possibility of another powerful enemy on the horizon!"

Piccolo quiet rightly took a step back, as Gohan spoke again, this time more calmly, "And I won't let anyone else get hurt when I have the power to prevent it."

His old mentor stared at him for a while, _But what about yourself kid?_ "You've grown up a lot, Gohan."

"Yeah," He sighed, rubbing his temples, "I didn't even know I was nineteen, I've not been counting the years on purpose."

"Probably wise, if you don't intend on coming back," Piccolo stated.

The young saiyan looked up at the man, the guilt encompassing him once more, "Do you hate me Piccolo?"

His eyes widened slightly, before he reached over and placed an affectionate hand on his hair, "I could never hate you, kid. What you're doing, is selfless. More than I can say for your father at least."

"My Dad?" he frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that after you… left," He started, "Your father and I weren't on speaking terms. He came back to life with the Namekian dragonballs and dedicated every second of his life to finding you, but after a couple of years, he gave up."

"I'm not exactly easy to find Piccolo," he snorted, folding his arms across his chest.

"It's better now," Piccolo sighed, "Vegeta slapped some sense into us, literally."

The halfling almost laughed disbelievingly, "Vegeta?"

"Everyone took your death hard Gohan, including Vegeta," his old mentor explained, "I never gave up searching, but Goku did. We had a fight, a very big fight about three years after your passing. Vegeta had to pull us apart, and told us that you wouldn't want us to be fighting."

"Why did you fight?" he asked, trying to ignore that fact that his father gave up. Though he couldn't blame him really, he was long gone, and his mother and father needed to deal with their grief.

"I blamed him for your death," said Piccolo through gritted teeth, "He should have never have sent you up against Cell. You were just a child."

"But I won didn't I?" he said with a smile, "Don't worry about it Piccolo, I've actually had a really good afterlife, despite not being able to come and see you lot. You and Dad shouldn't fight over the past, Vegeta was right."

"Maybe," his mentor breathed heavily, "But believe me when I say that no one is over what happened to you kid. It might do them well to see you again."

Gohan swallowed thickly, "I can't do that Piccolo."

"Is it because you're afraid to leave them behind again? Or because you're afraid of what they'll think of what you've become?"

He hesitated, "Both."

Piccolo sighed, clasping him on the shoulder, "No one's going to think badly of you, Gohan."

The teenager snorted, "I'm a _destroyer_ Piccolo, literally the opposite of everything Dad stands for."

"It's up to you kid," he replied, "But I still don't think you should hide from them."

He bit his lip, averting his eyes away from his old mentor's penetrative gaze, the hand on his shoulder no longer lingering.

"How does Videl know you all anyway?" he asked, attempting to change the subject, "I know that she was the girl that I saved at The Cell Games."

"She competed in the twenty-fifth World Martial Arts tournament with us," Piccolo grunted, "She recognised us from the Games, tagged along when Majin Buu appeared - I take it you know about that?"

"I do," Gohan said meekly, not wanting the man to get the wrong idea, "But I only found out that Buu was even in this part of the universe yesterday, let alone on Earth. I nearly had to step in when we learned that he had escaped from his prision, but The Supreme Kai told us that Buu had been defeated by mortal warriors. I should have known that it was you lot, you can never stay out of trouble."

The Namekian scoffed at his teasing, before continuing, "Videl tried to fight Buu you know, even though she was no match for him. She's much like you, stubborn and headstrong. After that, she's become apart of the group we've got going on, she spars with us from time to time, gets on well with your mother."

"Are you serious?" the halfling gaped, causing Piccolo to let out a light chuckle.

"Looks like you picked the wrong girl to bump into."

"You're telling me," Gohan groaned, "I can tell she's getting suspicious of me already, I don't think she's buying this amnesia stuff as well as I'd hoped."

"Don't worry," said Piccolo, "I had a hunch that you didn't want to reveal your true self so I threw her off the scent, laid it on that I thought you were disturbed in the head."

"Wow thanks," he retorted dryly, as Piccolo snorted

"Why should you care about what she thinks anyway?" he asked, causing the teenager to blush, "You've only just met her."

"I don't," he stated attempting to keep his tone casual, "I'm just _saying_ is all. I've had enough for one day without you going around telling people I'm a nutcase."

"Right," said Piccolo, giving him a knowing look.

Gohan chose to ignore him, instead casting his gaze towards the glistening sky above them.

"She was talking about taking you to the reunion tomorrow," the Namekian said after a while, he was eyeing him again. "She feels bad that you haven't got any friends at the moment."

"What reunion?" the halfling asked, already not liking the sound of it.

"There's a gathering every year, on the anniversary of The Cell Games," said Piccolo, "Everyone gets together at Capsule Corporation. You know Bulma, that woman can make a party out of anything."

He paused, biting his lip. He knew what he was asking of him.

Gohan sighed, "I can't face them."

"I think it would do you good to see everyone again," Piccolo said wisely, "I won't let on to who you really are. Besides, it would give you an opportunity to talk to Vegeta whilst every one else is busy."

The teenager was struggling, he was right in a way. With every one else enjoying the festivities, there was no risk of them listening in to their conversation if he could get Vegeta alone. He could feel Piccolo's stare burning into him, though he was still hesitating. Was it a good idea to put himself right out in the open? What if they found out who he really was? Still, there was one overwhelming thought that was overriding all other logic.

"I just want to make sure that everyones alright," he said finally.

Piccolo swallowed, as Gohan's eyes shone with emotion, "They are kid, but I still think that you should see for yourself, before you have to leave."

A tense silence hung between them, as he spoke again, "We're both aware of the rules imposed on you. It won't be a case of seeing us again in Otherworld when we finally pass on."

"No," the young man replied, "Goodbye is… forever, or well, it's meant to be."

Piccolo stiffened, he knew of course, but hearing him say it aloud was something else altogether.

"Then you should take this chance whilst you still have it," he said, his voice steady as Gohan looked towards him, "you might not get another."

The teenager paused, his chest growing tight before he managed to breathe out, "I'd better go."

Piccolo sighed heavily, "Where will you go?"

"I don't know, I'll find somewhere," he said with a shrug.

"You're always welcome to stay here."

"I know," said Gohan, "But I shouldn't."

The Namekian swallowed, "I understand."

He sighed, turning away before Piccolo stopped him, "Here, take these before you leave."

A bright light shone over the tiles, as a pile of folded clothes materialised in front of him.

"Thanks," Gohan smiled sadly, gathering them up in his arms, "It was good to see you Piccolo."

"You too kid," he replied, as the teenager fought the urge to hug him senseless again. _You don't know how much._

"Give my best to Dende and Mister Popo," called the halfling, before a white aura gathered around him and he leapt from the edge of The Lookout, spiralling towards the Earth below.

Gohan forced down the lump of emotions in his chest as he sped away from Korin's tower. He knew that his wise old mentor was right in a way, but the young saiyan needed time to think about it, to clear his head. There was no way he could think straight if he had stayed at The Lookout. And what if his father or one of the Z-Fighters had decided to drop by? It would be difficult to explain how a random, seemingly weak teenager had managed to get up there.

However, it was with a painful awareness that he realised that he had no where to stay, and had stupidly given up the opportunity of sleeping in a rather comfy four poster bed in the sacred temple. He flew for a while, though kept his energy low for want of not drawing attention to himself. Without realising it, he was soon flying directly over Orange Star City, the bright lights of the concrete jungle illuminating the sky so that a yellow glow intermingled with the velvet night. He sighed, catching sight of the giant billboard with his face on, feeling the sudden need to land.

He didn't know just when or why he had done it, but the next thing he knew, he had found Videl's apartment building and pressed the buzzer linked with her flat number. It was safe to say that she was just as surprised as he was when he asked if he could come in over the intercom. Walking up the steps to her apartment, he realised that maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. It was getting very late after all, and he felt as though he was imposing. Still, he had no where else to go. And even though Videl was certainly a danger to his secrets being exposed, she had been nice enough and just as eager to help him. It was no wonder that she had fit in with his friends so well. Maybe that was what had pulled him back to her apartment?

Her front door had swung open before he had even reached it, and the girl in question greeted him with a curious yet concerned expression. She was already in her pyjamas, dressed in a white oversized t-shirt with ' _Satan Dojo'_ emblazoned onto the front in scarlet lettering. It just reached to her bare thighs, which Gohan could see were beautifully toned from the amount of training she quite obviously did. The shirt had slipped off one of her shoulders, exposing the snow white skin of her neck and collarbone and nearly causing his head to spin. Her long hair was back in pigtails, though a little messy, and she had plush slippers shaped like dinosaur claws upon her feet. She held a tub of chocolate ice-cream in her hand, licking the spoon as she addressed him.

"So how'd it go?"

The teenager gulped. Hard.

"F-fine, great actually," he found himself stammering.

"And?" she asked more firmly this time.

"And what?" he asked, trying to stop his eyes from wandering. Was she not wearing anything under that shirt?!

"Your head?"

"My head?" Yep, he was staring.

Videl huffed, clearly agitated by his lack of articulacy, "The _amnesia_?"

"Oh!" the young Destroyer stammered, mentally yelling at himself to get a grip and making up a lie, "Your friends said that my memories might take a while to come back, but I'm feeling much better. Some things are a lot clearer."

"Well that's good," she said, "I'm glad they were able to help."

"Yeah, me too," he mustered weakly.

"So, are you coming in or are you just going to stand there gawking all night?" Videl asked, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. There was no doubt in his mind that she had noticed his eyes wondering all over her petite body, though despite his obvious embarrassment, he was glad that she didn't scold him for it. In fact, judging by the look in her eyes, she seemed quite intrigued by it.

"Er yeah, I mean no," he stammered stupidly, mentally slapping himself before stepping over the threshold, "I mean, thanks."

"Don't mention it," she chuckled, shutting the door behind them, "Can I get you something to drink? I was just about to watch a film."

"Water is fine, thanks," Gohan replied, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

Videl nodded as they made their way into the kitchen come living room, and the girl quickly made to pick up a glass from the draining board and ran the tap to fetch his water. He cringed when he glanced at the clock on the wall, it was already past ten. He was acting very callous, it was far too late to be visiting a girl in her pyjamas. He blushed at the thought, what in the HFIL was he thinking barging in on her like this?

Despite his reasoning, he accepted the glass of water gratefully, taking a sip before following her to the living room. Thankfully, Bee didn't cause to much of a fuss this time, and instead of jumping all over him, he went back to snoozing at their feet as soon as they sat back on the sofa.

"So Piccolo was nice to you wasn't he?" Videl started with a sheepish smile, grabbing the blanket that had fell to the floor, from when she had no doubt gone to answer the door to him and threw it over her bare legs, snuggling up to the arm of the plush fabric. "He can be a bit… well, moody, but he's a softie really."

Gohan couldn't help but snort at that, relaxing somewhat. If only Piccolo knew what others thought of him, then he'd probably try to take over the world like his father had intended just to prove a point.

"Nah, he was fine," said the halfling with a smirk, "He's like a big green teddy bear."

"If you say so," Videl replied, giving him an odd look, "Though I have to say, it's nice to see you in normal clothes."

The young saiyan blinked, as the girl's eyes looked him up and down, was she checking him out?

"Uh thanks," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, feeling rather warm all of a sudden, "Piccolo gave them to me."

"See? What did I tell ya?" she joked, "Big softie."

Gohan laughed, as she spoke again, "I'm guessing he dropped you off too, or how else would you have gotten here? I didn't know he was so generous to strangers."

"Um yeah," the teen sweated nervously, "he's a good bloke that Piccolo!"

"Yeah, he probably wanted you to stay here until your memories come back," Videl said thoughtfully, "Probably wise. As nice as he is I don't think he'd let you stay at The Lookout anyway. It's a sacred place after all."

"Yeah," he replied, "I didn't know you knew such interesting people Videl."

The Satan girl smiled, "I'm lucky like that."

_You really are._

"You er, you don't mind do you?" Gohan started suddenly, "If I stay for a little while longer?"

"Of course not Beerus," she grinned, "It's my job to help the needy after all."

The teen stared, she thought he was _needy_?! Great, way to give a good impression Gohan.

"But on one condition," Videl said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"What?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow and causing her to cackle.

"You have to watch this horror movie marathon with me!"

Gohan blinked, as the girl held up a box set of DVD's entitled ' _The blood sucking, zombified death monsters of Central City.'_

"Oh come on Beerus, it's not _that_ scary," she huffed, mistaking his bewildered look for fear, "Well, unless you're not a fan of gore."

"Er no, I like gore!" he blurted, still trying to get over the fact that she was a fan of horror films, especially ones that looked and sounded so violent. "But uh, isn't it getting a little late to watch a marathon?"

Videl rolled her eyes at him, "Tch don't be such a spoil sport! Where's your sense of adventure?"

Gohan frowned, oh he had a sense of adventure alright. But he was still very aware of the fact that he was sat across from a half-naked girl late at night. Said girl begging him to watch a series of films with her, alone, in the dark, with only a flimsy blanket strewn between them. Even so, he didn't think he had ever stayed up late watching horror films with anyone. And the young saiyan was always one for new experiences. So against his better judgement, he agreed, and an hour and forty-five minutes later he was surprised to find that he had forgotten all about his nerves, and was completely unaware of how close he and Videl were sitting, both of them too engrossed in the film to notice.

The film itself was tasteless and completely inaccurate to true gore, but Videl was loving every minute of it. He couldn't help but notice the way her eyes would light up when tension filled the room, or the way her lips would part whenever a murder would take place. She would lean forward when fight scenes would ensue, grasping hold of the blanket tightly, her chest heaving with excitement. Gohan was ashamed to admit that he had spent more time watching Videl than the actual films, though she was far more entertaining in his opinion. They had only taken short breaks from each movie to get up and grab some snacks and drinks, or have a heated discussion about plot holes before starting the next DVD. He couldn't believe how at ease he felt with her, and how all of his troubles seemed to disappear to the back of his mind. The night was perfect in his opinion, just talking and laughing with someone who didn't know the horror of what he was, unafraid of punching him playfully in the shoulder when he disagreed with her opinion of what to do in a zombie apocalypse. He felt, lighter, free, as if he was just a normal kid staying up late and having a good time with a pretty girl, not worrying about what would happen should his family and friends find out about his presence on Earth, not bound by duty or honour. Pretending that the fate of the entire universe didn't rest on his shoulders for a precious few hours.

Soon enough, it was around three in the morning, and Gohan yawned as he watched the credits roll across the screen. He had sunk quite far into the pillows, the fluffy blanket he shared with Videl strewn across his lap. He felt incredibly warm and cosy, especially since Bee had taken to lying his furry belly over his bare feet. The teenager turned sleepily towards Videl to ask her if she wanted to watch the last film, when his eyes widened, and he realised that she had fallen to sleep on his chest. He gulped, as he became all too aware of their position, and berated himself for not having realised it before. Somehow, in their sleep deprived comfort, had they ended up _cuddling_. Videl's head was practically resting underneath his chin, her long raven locks pooling across his stomach. Her left arm was draped over his muscular torso, and her bare leg cocked over his. His arm encompassed her, his hand resting upon her hip so that the fabric of her baggy t-shirt had rode up a little, exposing her creamy white skin even more so.

Gohan stiffened in alarm, and quickly retracted his hand from her hip as though he had been burned. He breathed out a shaky breath, as he knew he needed to wake her, but unsure of how she would take their current position. Still, it was incredibly difficult for him to disturb her. Videl looked so peaceful, content, her chest rising and falling in a gentle motion as she continued to doze. The halfling couldn't help but allow a small smile to grace his lips as she muttered something incoherent in her sleep, snuggling further into him as though he was the comfiest pillow in the world. His stomach clenched unexpectedly, a vain attempt at keeping the rampaging butterflies at bay. It wasn't as though he hadn't cuddled with a girl before, he'd had his fair share of fooling around a little whilst on adventures in space - unbeknownst to Whis of course. But somehow, with Videl it was completely different. This feeling… it was intense, overwhelming, like a punch in the gut. And yet still, he couldn't bring himself to move.

He stayed there for a moment too long, selfishly relishing in the comforting feelings that her body warmth brought. Gohan sighed, attempting to gently poke the girl awake, though it seemed that she wasn't having any of it. Giving in, the young saiyan swiftly wrapped his arms under her legs and back, getting to his feet quietly so as to not disturb her any more than was needed. Bee looked up at the sudden movement, cocking his head curiously at the young man.

"Shh," Gohan whispered at the dog, "I'm just tucking her in and I'll be right back. Don't look at me like that."

The labrador snorted in approval, before nestling his head back on the rug, drifting back off to sleep. The teenager took this as conformation, and padded quietly to Videl's bedroom, trying to ignore the way that the girl nestled perfectly in his arms, or the way she fisted his shirt in her sleep. Her bedroom was fairly simple, with white washed walls, a dresser, wardrobe and large double bed. It was a little messy, with clothes strewn over the floor and empty cans of energy drinks dropped near the litter bin that was fit to bursting. He couldn't help but notice the martial arts posters adorning the walls.

Placing the girl gently down on the mattress, he was glad to find that she had released his shirt to make it a little easier. She sighed in contentment, causing his stomach to flutter again as he pulled the covers over her body. It was dark, though the room was bathed in a silvery glow thanks to the thin curtains, the starlight pouring in through the window pane. It took a moment for Gohan to compose himself, too enchanted by the way the starlight washed over Videl's beautiful features. Her plump lips were curled into a smile as if she could sense him watching her. With another angelic sigh, she pulled the bedsheets tighter around her, snuggling into her pillows, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks.

The young Destroyer felt cold all of a sudden, the heat of Videl's body no longer with him. His onyx eyes focussed on her lips as they parted ever so slightly, as the girl relaxed into her dreams. He felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. To taste those lips and feel her warmth again.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

He swallowed hard, and left the room.

" _Oooo you've got it bad,"_ Z chirped from where he was resting up the wall when Gohan had entered the living room.

Gohan didn't answer the relic as he readied himself for sleep, nor did he deny his words. Taking off his jeans and shirt, he grabbed a clean t-shirt out of the pile of garments that Piccolo had materialised for him and shoved it roughly over his head. Settling himself back onto the sofa, the teenager heaved a deep sigh of frustration, the overwhelming feeling of falling from a great height encompassing him all at once.

He would have to find somewhere else to stay until he found out how to become a Super Saiyan God, or else he would be sure to get himself into all kinds of trouble.

* * *

_Originally posted: 17th October, 2018._


	12. Life Goes On

Piccolo was a git.

He had surmised this particular fact many years ago whilst preparing for the arrival of the Saiyans, when the Namekian would use his deadly eye lasers on him whenever his back was turned, burning his underwear in the process. Charcoaled undergarments aside, it was obvious to Gohan that his old mentor had a dark sense of humour, and as such he should have known that he would have slipped in a little something into his care package to wear to the Z-gang's reunion. That git knew him far too well, even after all these years. He knew that the teenager would give in somehow.

Just probably not in the way he expected.

"Well, what do you think?" Videl asked from where she stood across from him in the living room.

She tapped her foot impatiently when he didn't answer, as he was struggling to find the brain power to make his lips move and form a coherent sentence.

"I-I uh -," he spluttered, his voice coming out as a rather strangled squawk and causing the girl to sigh in distain.

"Are you always this articulate?" she huffed, folding her arms across her chest that was barely covered by the fluffy white towel she was wearing.

It was Videl's day off from work, and as such the both of them had slept in until noon, though Gohan was so emotionally exhausted from his conversation last night with Piccolo, he had made no attempt to move from his position on the sofa. This had led to his current predicament, as Videl had taken her shower first, and was now standing shamelessly in front of him, her long raven hair barely dry and causing small droplets of water to trickle down her beautifully exposed skin. The young saiyan had nearly had a heart attack when she had woken him up in such a manner, and a part of him sleepily thought that he was just having a very nice dream.

For the young saiyan was steadily coming to realise that he was developing some dangerous feelings for the blue eyed girl that he was currently cohabiting with. And as soon as she had asked him whether he would like to accompany her to 'her friends party', did he momentarily forget every reason why he _shouldn't_ go, all sense of logic flying out of the window. The fact that the object of his affections was dressed in nothing but a towel certainly didn't help his lack of reasoning.

"Um sorry, it's just y-you," Gohan managed to muster, slapping a hand over his eyes to prevent himself from ogling the girl any further, "c-could you put some clothes on please?!"

He heard her scoff in annoyance, "Well excuse _me_ mister lodger, but this is my apartment. I could walk around stark naked if I fancied it."

Well that thought was enough to give him a minor stroke.

"Besides, you were bold enough to put me to bed last night," she said dangerously, "You shouldn't be bothered by a girl in a towel. What are you twelve or something?"

The young saiyan uncovered his eyes to glare at her, though failed to hide the blush marring his cheeks, "For your information, I only put you to bed so that you wouldn't wake up with a stiff neck from sleeping on me! It's _called_ being a gentlemen!"

"Sure it is," she shrugged offhandedly, "As long as you didn't try anything funny."

Gohan gaped at the accusation, and spluttered hotly, "Are you serious? Of course I didn't!"

The girl quirked an eyebrow, causing him to wince.

"Not that… not that I _wouldn't_ ," he tried, as she continued to eye him, "I mean you're pretty and all but I wouldn't try anything, I'm not that kind of person!"

"Right, so you're the chivalrous type," she surmised dryly, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. He prayed that she had ignored the fact that he had outwardly admitted that he thought she was pretty, "I didn't even think that your kind still existed."

"Look, I'm sorry that I didn't wake you," said Gohan gently, not wanting her to be annoyed with him, "It's just, you looked so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb you."

"It's fine," Videl shrugged, waving him off, "Let's say no more about it."

The halfling breathed a sigh of relief as she smirked back at him, "As long as you don't use that chivalry crap as an excuse just to get into my pants."

His eyes boggled, she was so _vulgar_!

"Er, no!" he sweated nervously, "It was all with good intentions I promise!"

Videl nodded in satisfaction, before rounding on him again, "So, are you up for it?"

Gohan blinked, " _Pardon_?"

"The party?" the girl said with an exasperated eye roll.

"Oh, I don't know," he gulped, chasing the racy thoughts out of his mind, "I mean, I don't know anybody there, it could be really awkward."

Videl sighed in understanding, "Yeah but you can't just sit here all day by yourself. And to be fair, you don't really know anyone else on this entire planet at the moment apart from me. Would it kill you to make some new friends?"

Possibly, he thought, hesitating. He really didn't know how to get out of it when she was looking at him with such pleading eyes.

"Oh come on Beerus, where's all that chivalry you were harping on about a second ago?" she teased, a smile playing on her lips, "You going to leave a girl hanging? Doesn't sound very gentlemanly to me."

Heat rose to his cheeks, "Well -"

"Then it's settled," said Videl, not giving him a chance to make up an excuse, "Hurry up and get your glad rags on, we'll be leaving in half an hour."

Gohan stared after her, unsure of what had just happened. And thirty minutes later he was dressed in the smart suit that Piccolo had provided for him, sitting next to the headstrong Satan girl in the cockpit of her jetcopter. Bee panting happily behind them from the backseat - did she really have to take that daft mutt everywhere with her?

The young saiyan was fairly certain that the girl could fly, especially seen as she hand been hanging around the Z-Fighters for just over a year. He couldn't see a stubborn girl such as Videl Satan just sitting back and watching the Ki-users and not being able to use and control energy herself. She was heavily practised in martial arts after all, and from the impression he got from her, she only wanted to keep improving, using Ki would more than compliment her fighting style.

However, Videl mustn't have wanted to spring too much on him too soon as it were, seen as she thought he was 'normal' and Gohan had to deal with being cooped up in the jet for an annoyingly slow forty-five minutes. It seemed that Videl wasn't that used to making the trip in the copter either, only confirming his suspicions, as she had misjudged the amount of time it would take them, subsequently making the pair of them late. Though the only good thing about being in a confined space with Videl was that he had more than enough opportunity steal glances at her. Though he couldn't help but notice that she had stolen a couple herself, their eyes catching every so often.

 _"Your face will get stuck like that if you're not careful,"_ Z told him from where he was concealed, as the teenager cleared his throat, unable to keep his eyes from wandering ever since she had greeted him outside of her bedroom door. He hadn't been able to answer her at first when she asked if he was ready to go, it felt as though all of the air had been forced out of his lungs at the mere sight of her.

The girl was wearing a midnight blue dress that complimented her eyes perfectly. The classy attire reached to just below her knees, with a slit up the side that showed off even more of her toned legs. The fabric clung to her curvy yet petite figure, with a sweetheart neckline that enhanced the elegance of her neck and collarbone. The colour contrasted brilliantly with her ebony hair, which she had worn down for the occasion, the long tresses reaching her waist in elegant waves. She had a small amount of makeup on from what he could tell, and matching heels upon her feet. It made her a little taller, but not as tall as he.

Gohan too was dressed up to the nines. The young saiyan hadn't worn a suit since he was last on Earth, and had to admit that it did feel rather nice to dress up, even though he thought that the pair of them might look a bit too formal for a barbecue in Bulma's back garden. The teenager looked incredibly stylish and handsome, wearing a tight designer charcoal blazer with matching skinny trousers, with a crisp white shirt underneath. He had undone a few buttons at the collar, which showed off the definition of his muscles underneath.

Say what you wanted about Piccolo, the man might have been a git, but he certainly had an uncanny eye for style.

As their eyes met once more, he couldn't help but notice that Videl had a tinge of crimson to her cheeks, though she tried to cover her tracks by engaging him into conversation.

"We'll be there soon," she said, stubborning fixing her gaze back on the clouds that whizzed past them as they flew through the sky.

"Great," said Gohan, forcing a smile, a feeling of dread encompassing him.

He was racked with nerves, that was a given. The only good part of his decision was the fact that he got to get lost in those sapphire eyes for a little while longer.

"Don't worry," she grinned back at him, "My friends are a bit much but they'll love you I'm certain of it. If you can handle Piccolo, then I'm sure you can handle the rest of the rabble."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"You just need to relax and have a good time," said Videl, "let your hair down, you know? You've had a rough couple of days."

 _You have no idea_ , the young saiyan thought glumly as they started to descend, a familiar yellow bricked building coming into view.

To his surprise, the large domed structure hadn't changed all that much since he had last visited nearly a decade ago. He used to think that the complex of Capsule Corporation was incredibly grand, but with all the monumental places he had visited throughout space, he couldn't help but think that it looked rather humble now. The soft blades of grass blew gently in the breeze as Videl decapsulised the yellow jet and walked up the stone-flagged path. Mrs Briefs' beautiful flowers hung in delicate baskets either side of the doorway, and light spilled out onto the porch from the hallway. He remembered being here as though it were yesterday, and he could hear the sounds of jovial laughter from over the garden fence, reaching his ears in a soft ringing.

He didn't think that he had been so nervous in all of his afterlife, and even silently wished that it was Cell waiting on the other side for him, not his family and friends. The halfling had even masked his Ki so much so that it resembled a door mouse that hadn't been fed for a week. He was certain that no one would be able to recognise him by his energy signature, he had been on Earth for two days after all and no one had noticed. But just like Piccolo, would anyone compare the young man he had become to the child that was lost?

"Ready?" Videl asked him with a breathtaking smile as they reached the front step, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He smiled back, the nerves settling in his stomach like a deadweight, "As ready as I'll ever be."

With that, she pressed a delicate finger to the doorbell and soon enough did the front door swing open, revealing none other than Bulma Briefs.

Gohan wanted to bowl her over in a fierce hug her right then and there, and had to restrain himself from doing so with a great amount of willpower. Bulma had been like a second mother to him, especially with what they went through together on Namek. He remembered that in the run up to The Cell Games, she had offered to show him around the engineering labs of Capsule Corporation, and even hinted at him getting a job there when he was older. He was a smart kid after all, and loved to help the heiress out on numerous projects when he was taking a break from studying and training. But alas, it was not meant to be.

She hadn't changed that much at all, still just as pretty with her hair cut shorter than he remembered and styled even further into an elegant up-do. A few laughter lines framed her lips, along with a couple of worry lines on her forehead, yet apart from that she was flawless. Bulma was overly-dressed in an elegant ballgown, which was deep red and trailed behind her as she walked. She most certainly pulled it off though. Her neck and ears were adorned with expensive jewellery, which sparkled just as much as the beaming smile that she was giving them.

"Oh Videl!" Bulma swooned, engulfing the girl in a bone crushing hug, "I thought you weren't coming seen as your dad and Buu are already here, but then I remembered that you'd moved out! How's the new place by the way?"

"It's great thanks Bulma," the girl beamed back, glancing at the teenager beside her, "And I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The woman's eyes widened to the size of saucers, as Gohan gave her a weak smile, "And just _who_ is this handsome young man?! Have you been keeping him a secret from me Videl Satan?!"

He suddenly felt incredibly awkward, as his father's childhood friend practically ogled him, looking him up and down like a piece of man meat. Well, at least she didn't recognise him.

Videl laughed heartily, "He's just a friend Bulma, this is Beerus."

"Beerus eh?" the older woman observed, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively, "Well come on then handsome, get in here! This party won't start itself you know!"

With that he allowed himself to be pulled into the heat of the complex by Bulma, Videl laughing all the more so behind him, Bee trotting at her heels. They only came to a halt when they entered the back garden, where an enormous marquee and dance floor had been set up underneath the clear blue sky. There were several food stands and attending waiting staff, along with a buffet table and huge barbecue, the smells of which were wafting towards his nostrils in tantalising waves. It was a lot of food by anyones standards, though he realised that they had his father's and Vegeta's saiyan stomachs to contend with, and he doubted that young Trunks was any different.

Still, there was a lot of people here, a lot of whom he didn't know. It seemed that the Z-gang weren't the only ones that Bulma had invited. Crowds of people filled the large garden, dancing and drinking, dressed in swanky attire for the event. Balloons and streamers hung from the marquee and music pumped heavily from a set of tall speakers, people whooping and cheering as a new song came on which the teen didn't recognise. They were quite obviously Bulma's friends, as he didn't think that any one else from their group knew that many people. Though through the busy throngs he spotted familiar faces. A few of them were sat around rounded tables, drinking glasses of sparkling alcohol and eating. Whilst some were dotted around chatting and seemingly having a good time. He could even hear Mister Satan's booming laughter from the other side of the garden.

Gohan frowned, he didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. He was half expecting a morbid event, with the Z-gang sat around Bulma's living room drinking cups of tea and sobbing over his baby photos. Then again, he shouldn't have expected any less from Bulma. He couldn't help the smile that twitched at the corners of his mouth, as he looked around the crowd, the gang's Ki's familiar and pulsating with life, standing out from everyone else's. From a quick glance he could see that there was subtle changes to their appearances, but they were still them. They were still his old friends.

He quickly tore his eyes away, trying not to focus on them too much. He couldn't just go and strike up a conversation with them after all, and similarly had no urge to. Luckily, he couldn't see his parents or grandfather anywhere, and he intended to avoid them for as long as possible. It was part of the plan that he had come up with on the ride over. And if it meant hiding in the bathroom before he could corner Vegeta, then so be it. Speaking of, he couldn't see the hotheaded prince anywhere either.

Though there was someone he did notice, as he came bounding towards them with a spring in his step. At first, he thought that the old man had recognised him instantly, and that his whole plan had gone out of the window, giving his enthusiasm. However, the old master bypassed him completely, instead aiming his lecherous hands towards Videl.

"Videl! Hic!" Master Roshi giggled, quite obviously drunk. He was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt and his signature sunglasses, looking just as old as Gohan remembered him. His cheeks were ruddy from alcohol, his bald head practically shining in the summer sun. The old man leered towards Videl, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a one armed hug. Bee growled menacingly, though the ancient martial artist appeared not to have noticed.

"Nice to see yeh made it!" he hiccuped, as he shamelessly used the opportunity to peek at her cleavage, his glasses sliding down his nose, "I see yeh've brought the twins!"

**BAM!**

"Back _off_ old man!" the girl growled, retracting her outstretched fist as Master Roshi was sent flying into the wall of the house, leaving a sizeable crack in the brickwork.

 _Huh, Piccolo was right_ , Gohan thought to himself, rather impressed by that punch of hers, Videl really did fit in their weird group rather well.

"Do you want a drink before I introduce you to my friends?" she asked sweetly, having recovered fairly quickly from her outburst.

He nodded mutely, accepting the beer that she handed him from a passing waiter and taking a sip. It was a strange but pleasant taste in his opinion. He had been too young to have any when he was last on Earth, although he had seen people like his grandfather, Roshi, Krillin and other adults drink the stuff on numerous occasions. He had tried a similar concoction with the potential for intoxication a couple of years back on a planet called Zorn after a successful mission with The Supreme Guard. The memory of that night was very hazy, though he hadn't been allowed back on that planet since, and Whis and Lord Beerus had banned him from drinking anything remotely alcoholic since.

They still couldn't quite figure out how that herd of rampaging manticores had ended up in Beerus' bedchamber. Though he had a hunch that Makhai knew from how much he was laughing his head off. Still, they didn't have to know. And besides, Earth beer tasted nowhere near as potent, and he highly doubted that there were any angry manticores nearby to set loose.

He had been so busy admiring Videl that he hadn't even realised that Bulma had left their side, dragging a stunned Roshi away by the ear in the process. Apparently she had gone to talk to some business associates of hers, which explained the amount of people here. It seemed that she had invited the entire stronghold of Capsule Corp. employees, along with guests from other pioneering companies. When he asked why there was so many people here, Videl had informed him that the anniversary of The Cell Games had become a national holiday, giving the whole world the chance to celebrate and Bulma an excuse to give her employees the day off and network with other companies. He wasn't surprised to hear that Dr Briefs had retired a couple of years back and Bulma had taken the reins as the CEO of the company.

Videl had left him to his thoughts shortly after, spotting her father and Buu nearby and promising she would be back after she had caught up with them, taking the labrador with her. Gohan wasn't all that bothered about being left alone, having no urgency to speak to anyone but Vegeta. He also reasoned that the more he distanced himself from Majin Buu the better. Things could get messy if the pink blob tried to challenge him to a fight.

He stood some distance away from the main throng of people, though was close enough so that he could still watch the crowd surrounding him. He started to take more notice of his old friends, and almost laughed aloud when he spotted Krillin with a mop of black hair. He almost didn't recognise him! He followed his figure as he made his way across the dance floor with a plate of food, before sitting at a table that housed the majority of the Z-Fighters, including Eighteen and Marron.

The little girl's face was alight with laughter as she climbed into her father's lap, playing with a bright yellow balloon. Tien had barely changed, though Gohan couldn't help but notice that he sat with his arm around a blue haired woman who was chatting animately with Chaiozu. Yamcha was also with them, his hair longer and his scarred face looking even more so. He must have gone on another training venture in the wilderness like old times, he surmised, his Ki certainly felt stronger. In fact, the lot of them felt eons stronger compared to eight years ago.

Puar, Oolong and Turtle also accompanied them, chortling heartily at something the now recovered Master Roshi was saying. He couldn't help but feel a little emotional as he caught sight of his grandfather, the large man towering above everyone else as the table. His face was bright and beaming, as he waved his arms in the air, most likely recounting a story from the old days like he always did. They all looked happy, content, albeit a few years older, his grandfather practically grey all over now. It was with a strange realisation that they were much older, the main Z-Fighters were all nearing or well into their forties, his father included. They were all dressed rather smartly for the occasion, making them look even more matured. He had never seen them make such an effort, the warriors of Earth more than comfortable in their training gear in all the time he had known them.

The teenager watched them for a few moments before forcing himself to tear his gaze away, his onyx eyes darting across the sea of people trying to spot Vegeta, taking larger, bolder swigs of his beer as he grew increasingly anxious. He could sense him, his strong Ki mulling around in the background, but if he was off sulking somewhere like he usually did at gatherings, it would look suspicious if Gohan just popped up out of nowhere and found him.

The music pumped loudly in his ears, the vibrations from the speakers humming through his chest. Everyone looked so cheerful and happy, dancing and drinking without a care, celebrating without any true sense of their 'saviour' standing only feet away from them. The whole scene was making him feel more uncomfortable by the second. It was definitely poor timing on Whis' part. Trust the Angel to send him back to Earth over the anniversary of his death. He bet that if he had landed at any other time of the year then he could have avoided all this nonsense. It was ridiculous, he thought, as the Z-fighter's table erupted with laughter, just what in the HFIL did he think he was doing here anyway? He had no place after all, he had left this world a long time ago. Besides, him being here was far too dangerous, he could easily be discovered.

Stupid Videl and those distracting eyes of hers.

"So, you came."

Gohan jumped at the sound of his old mentor's voice, almost slopping the rest of his drink all over himself. The teenager scowled as the Namekian warrior smirked back at him, eyeing his attire in an approving manner.

"Against my better judgement, but yeah I'm here," the young saiyan replied, draining his bottle whilst taking note of the fact that Piccolo hadn't made an effort to change out of his normal fighting gi like everyone else. Though he shouldn't have expected any less.

"I think you've made the right decision," he said, folding his arms across his chest and standing next to him, "How are you holding up?"

"Not too badly," Gohan replied honestly, "Though I haven't really spoken to anyone yet."

"I suppose you intend to keep it that way," he observed, causing the halfling to shrug and avoid the question.

"Isn't this a bit…I don't know… much?" the teenager asked, glancing around him at the festivities, "I mean, all of this because I killed Cell? I'm even an action figure for crying out loud."

Piccolo snorted, "You saved the world Gohan, you can't expect people to just forget that."

"But they act like I'm some kind of martyr," he growled in annoyance, "I just did what I had to do. They shouldn't be doing all this for me."

"You think this is all for you?" the Namekian asked him, as Gohan blinked in confusion.

Piccolo sighed, watching as the table holding Krillin and Tien roared with laughter once more, Videl was now with them, "For them, this is all they can do. Reuniting like this gives them something to look forward to every year, celebrating instead of grieving on this day helps them cope with what happened to you."

"But-!" he started to protest, but the man cut across him, a strange emotion in his eyes.

"Today marks not only the anniversary of Cell's demise, but of your death too. A death that should never have been," he stated, as the teen clamped his mouth shut, "Every single person you loved and called your family blames themselves for not being able to protect you. This day isn't for you, it's for them. It helps them heal."

"Piccolo I -"

"Think about what I said back on The Lookout kid," he interrupted, coal black eyes boring into his soul, "it would do you well to take a chance whilst you still can, you have the time."

The teenager's chest grew tight with emotion, as his old friend looked out onto the dance floor, "Videl is coming back, I'll leave you to it. Make sure you enjoy the festivities."

"Piccolo wait-!" cried Gohan, but it was too late, he had already sunk back into the shadows, and soon enough he was confronted with Videl's beaming face.

"Was that Piccolo?" she asked him, her own bottle of beer clasped in her palm.

"Oh yeah," the young Destroyer said nervously, "He was just wondering how my head was."

"Oh," Videl blinked, "That was nice of him."

"Heh yeah…"

"Just a heads up by the way," she spoke with a grin, "You might find yourself interrogated tonight, a couple of my friends have already teased me about showing up with a boy."

So, they had already noticed him. This was bad.

Gohan gulped, "Oh really?"

"Yeah, Krillin, Eighteen's husband is one of them," the Satan girl sighed in distain, "You know little Marron's mum who you met yesterday? He wants to meet you to find out your intentions. He's only teasing, he tends to do that a lot. I told him we're just friends."

Oh no.

"Are you alright?" she frowned, "You look a bit flustered."

"Er no I'm fine!" he lied, wishing that he could just corner Vegeta and then get the HFIL out of here, no matter what Piccolo said. But just when he thought he caught sight of a shock of spikey black hair, was he nudged in the ribs by Videl.

"Uh oh, and here comes the cavalry," she chuckled.

Gohan turned his head to where she was pointing, and stopped cold.

The same eyes stared back at him, the onyx eyes of his mother's. The very woman who he had dreamed of being held tightly by in his darkest nights of the training camp when he had first arrived on Lord Beerus' planet. She moved fluidly through the crowds, her beautiful purple dress billowing behind her as she smiled warmly at Videl. Although unlike Bulma whose face was bright and beaming, his mother looked tired. She was of course, still as pretty as ever, but with permanent bags under her eyes, and a few strands of grey amongst her ebony hair.

"Oh Videl it's so lovely to see you!" Chi-Chi gushed on her approach, hugging the girl before turning towards him.

He was certain that she knew, given the fierce look in her eyes, but was surprised to see her frown deeply, a sudden aura of hostility about her.

"Bulma tells me that you have a boyfriend," she said, still eyeing him disapprovingly.

Videl sighed hopelessly, not embarrassed by her accusations in the slightest, "This is Beerus, he's just a friend Chi-Chi."

The ox-princess looked him up and down, before finally tearing her eyes away from him and sighing whimsically, "You know, if my Gohan were still alive, you'd be perfect for each other."

The teenager's jaw hit the ground, and he continued to gape at the woman as she spoke, "I bet he'd be a lovely young doctor or scholar by now, both even! Oh yes, and in a few years you'd be married with lots of grandchildren for me to spoil!"

The young Destroyer suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, he'd been dead for eight years for crying out loud, and his mother was still having fantasies about him becoming a doctor, getting married and producing a million babies?! Ugh.

Videl hugged her, speaking soothingly, as tears began to spill from this mother's eyes, "Oh Chi-Chi, I know it's hard, thinking about him today. But he wouldn't want you to be like this."

Too right, please stop marrying me off in your dreams mother.

"T-thank you sweetheart," she sniffed, pulling out a handkerchief and blowing her nose.

Suddenly, there was a small commotion behind them, and a few people around them gasped and cried out in shock as the enormous iced cake on the buffet table practically flew across the garden, soaring over the crowd's heads before hitting the ground with a loud **SPLAT!** A few party goers flung themselves out of the way for want of not getting icing on their expensive attire, though a few people laughed, as Bee took this opportunity to get his fill of the sugary treat. The teenager frowned, not quite understanding how the cake had toppled off the table with such a force.

As a flurry of cleaning bots raced to clean up the mess, Chi-Chi's mood quickly did a one-eighty and she turned to yell behind her. "SON GOTEN! What have I told you about running around causing mayhem on today of all days?!"

Gohan's eyes widened, Son Goten?

The little boy in question, who was about eight years old by his estimation, appeared to be the perpetrator of the commotion, and bounded right up to them with an apologetic look on his face. The face, that was all to reminiscent of his father, _their_ father apparently. Goten was Goku's carbon copy, right down to the spikey mass of hair, obsidian eyes and goofish grin.

Gohan couldn't breathe, his lungs constricting painfully all of a sudden as the boy began to speak, confirming his suspicions, "Sorry Mummy, but me and Trunks found this really weird looking frog, and Trunks dared me to poke it but I didn't want to 'cause it was slimy. So he threw it at me and when I ducked it hit the cake and the cake fell over and-!"

"Yes, yes, that's _quite_ enough Goten," Chi-Chi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in despair, "Now where is that father of yours? I need him to take you home to get you changed, you've gotten cake everywhere! And on your best suit too!"

"Aw Chi, it's fine, it's just a little bit of cake!" came a cheerful voice.

At the sound of the familiar tone, Gohan panicked. He couldn't take it. Being next to his family - it was overwhelming, suffocating. As though he was drowning in a sea of emotions and guilt. The only words in his head were screaming - ABORT. ABORT. MISSION ABORT.

And that he did, teleporting out of their midst so fast that he was gone in a blink of an eye, the small group too distracted by his mother's irate yelling to notice that he had disappeared. Safe to say, he didn't leave altogether, and instead found himself over at the other end of the complex, far away from the party and his parents. He gasped from where he was leaning up the wall of the complex, trying to steady his breathing as he gulped down refreshing breaths of air. He didn't know why he had reacted like that. Maybe he thought that his father would see right through him, or maybe he just couldn't bring himself to lie to them. Or did it have to do with the presence of the little boy with his father's eyes?

The teenager shook himself, trying to subdue the sudden feelings of betrayal and abandonment that exploded within him at the thought of the young boy. It was stupid of him to think that his parents wouldn't have had another child. They needed to move on after all, get over the grief of loosing him. But so soon after he had died? He certainly wasn't prepared for that. Better yet, why hadn't Piccolo of all people mentioned it to him? Was it part of an insane plan to make him stay longer? To get to know his little brother and bond with him? Well, right now it was only doing the opposite, and it took all his resolve not to leave the complex completely. To HFIL with the sodding prophecy.

 _"What do you think you're playing at kid?"_ Z's voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

"I don't know," Gohan managed to breathe out, resting the back of his head on the wall, "I didn't mean to act like that. I just… I needed to get away. I moved before I could think."

" _Too right you didn't think! Teleporting like that I ask you! Anyone could have seen that little trick of yours_ ," The old relic berated him, " _And I thought you wanted to keep incognito!_ "

"I do, sorry," he mustered, cringing as he knew that Z was right, "This was a bad idea, I shouldn't have come."

" _Anyone with half a brain cell could have told you that lad,_ " he scoffed, " _Now what do you say we find Prince Vegeta and get some answers so you can hurry up and take Videl back and get to some smooching before we have to leave!"_

"Give it a rest will you?" The halfling growled, causing Z to chuckle before silence encompassed them.

Several birds flew overhead as the sun began to set. He watched it for a while, his breathing steadily returning back to normal as the orange orb started to dip below the horizon in the distance, streaks of violet and amber marring the sky, the music and laughter from the garden still ringing in his ears.

"I can't believe that they had another kid," Gohan said finally, to no one in particular, his chest growing tight again.

" _Well what did you expect sonny boy?"_ Z chirped, though there was a solemness to his tone, " _Life moves on after all, it doesn't wait for the dead."_

"Yeah," he replied sadly, the sunset casting shadows on the grass, "You're right."

"Who are you talking to out here?"

Gohan jumped a mile, as a voice reached his ears. He was definitely starting to loose a hold on his senses, Whis would crack him round the head with his sceptre for that if he found out. He whirled around, panic taking ahold of him once more as the familiar, strong silhouette of his father rounded the corner, walking towards him, the glowing amber sky illuminating his features.

He held his breath in anticipation. As vivid, dark memories of the last time he had seen his father entered his mind. He remembered the orange clad hero saying goodbye, protectively standing in between the bulbous Cell and the young super saiyan two. Gohan painfully remembered the utter agony he was in due to his battle injuries, but it was nothing, nothing compared to the feeling of his heart tearing apart as he watched his father disappear from the battle field with Cell, knowing full well that doom awaited him. And it was all Gohan's fault. Yet despite his impending death, his father had died with a smile, and expressed how proud he was of the son that had surpassed him, to become the next hero of Earth.

But the young saiyan was not the hero his father thought he was. He had failed him. Heroes didn't kill their fathers, they didn't allow those they loved to step into a fight that they had inexcusably prolonged just for revenge, to feel the twisted satisfaction of bones breaking underneath his fists, the tainted smell of blood, the tearing of flesh, to see Cell's fuchsia eyes widen in terror. Nor did they let them face a villain who they had purposely baited and tortured into a desperate act that had threatened the very planet that they were supposed to protect. Gohan remembered the all encompassing guilt, the rage and grief that overtook his entire being the moment that his father teleported away. He wished, oh how he wished that he had taken his father's place instead.

Little did he know that his wish would be granted, just not in the way he had expected. And now the young Destroyer was stood across from his father again, but instead of the man looking at him with eyes full of love and pride, did he find that those obsidian orbs haunted and dishevelled. Just like his mother, Goku looked rather worn too. He wore a sky blue suit and tie instead of his usual training clothes, although he noticed the bright orange gi poking out underneath his shirt, just incase the rest of the gang fancied a spar he presumed. His father didn't look as aged as the rest of the Z-Fighters, thanks to those youthful saiyan genes. Other than some slight differences, the only real notion that any time had passed was that Gohan was now so tall he could now look his father directly in the eyes.

The first thing he wanted to do was bowl him over in a fierce hug and then proceed to cry his eyes out like a baby, the panic subsiding as soon as he beheld the hero that had raised him for the first eleven years of his life. But he didn't, he had to keep his resolve, and regard his father like a stranger.

Just as Goku was regarding him.

There was no recognition in his eyes. No happiness, no love directed towards him. But why? Piccolo had recognised him instantly, but his father had not. Had his beloved old mentor been right, had Son Goku truly given up? Had he pushed all thoughts of ever seeing his son again to the back of his mind, believing that it was so impossible that he couldn't even comprehend the fact that the young man standing before him was at all reminiscent of his first born?

Gohan knew it was selfish of him, careless even, but there was a part of him that wished that his father would recognise him.

"Pardon?" he asked as he approached, noticing that he held a glass of something strong smelling in his hand. Since when did his father drink?

"Oh, it's just that I heard someone having a conversation, and when I saw it was just one person I got curious," he stated, smiling at him, "Don't mind me, I'm just hiding from my wife. She's a little mad."

The smile was so charismatic and genuine, it made the teen want to just blurt out everything. His father had always had that effect on people. He always knew what to do, how to help, how to bring out the best in people. What he wouldn't give for his father's advice right now.

"I uh," Gohan started, quickly loosing his nerve, "I talk to myself a lot."

"Me too."

Phew, nice save.

"Well, I tell my wife that," Goku shrugged, taking a sip of his drink, the ice clinking against the glass, "Really I'm talking to Gohan."

Ouch, right in the feels.

"I'm sorry," the young saiyan said sincerely, "I'm sorry about your son."

"Thanks," his father smiled sadly, holding out a hand for him to shake, "You're Videl's friend right?"

Gohan nodded, taking his father's hand in his. No sooner had he did so, did a bolt of electricity jolt between their fingertips. He gulped, though he was slightly startled. He wondered if his father had noticed.

"Strong grip you've got there," Goku observed, pulling his hand away, "Are you a martial artist?"

"Eh, I dabble," he shrugged, averting his eyes away.

"That's great!" the saiyan beamed, "We're all having a spar later, if you want to join in."

"Oh trust me, I really don't think I'm in you're league," said Gohan truthfully.

Goku laughed, "Aw don't worry, we'll go easy on you. It would be great to see what my student's friend can do!"

The young saiyan nearly choked, "D-did you say student?"

"Yeah, didn't Videl tell you?" his father frowned in confusion, cocking his head to one side, "After the whole Buu thing, she wanted to get stronger so I offered to train her. She comes over every week for a spar and some training. Goten, my other son, loves her."

Gohan could do nothing but stare, he literally couldn't have picked a worse person to bump into at his grave.

Suddenly, Goku's eyes widened, "Videl _has_ told you about Buu hasn't she?"

"Oh yeah," the teen nodded, "I know all about it."

"Phew," he sweated, "Good, I thought I had said something I shouldn't have then. Vegeta wouldn't have been too happy about that one!"

"Where is Vegeta?" Gohan blurted suddenly, causing his father to frown, "I mean er, Videl's told me loads about him. He seems like a really interesting person to talk to."

Goku stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter, "Well interesting is one word for him! Sorry kiddo but Vegeta's not really one for conversation. You'd have a hard time trying to get anything out of that man, trust me on this one!"

The teenager pouted, trying to think of an excuse to go off and find the hot headed prince when his father suddenly threw a strong arm over his shoulder.

"But hey if you want to meet some more of Videl's friends then why don't I introduce you?"

Gohan's eyes widened, as Goku continued to guide him back towards the main party, "Uh I don't think that's a good id-!"

But it was too late. For the teenager was half way through protesting when Yamcha's voice cut through the air, the rest of the gang having spotted Goku dragging a rather frantic teenager across the grass. In all honesty, Gohan could have easily broken out of his father's hold, though it would looked incredibly suspicious if the gang saw a seemingly weak teen escape the iron grasp of their strongest warrior.

"Oi Goku! There you are!" Yamcha called, "We were starting to wonder where you'd gotten to. Chi-Chi has been looking for you everywhere!"

"Probably a good call he was hiding," joked Oolong, "She was riled up about the state of Goten's suit. Did you take your eyes off him again Goku?"

The man in question laughed heartily, "Maybe."

"Whose the kid?" Tien asked suddenly, as they became all too aware of the young man standing awkwardly next to their friend.

"Oh this is Beerus!" Goku chimed happily, causing the teenager to cringe, "He's Videl's friend."

"Don't you mean _boyfriend_?" Krillin teased, as the girl rolled her eyes from where she was sat next to him.

"Oh stop it Krillin, he's just a friend," she explained, poking at her plate of food with her fork, "I already told you, we only met two days ago. He's had amnesia ever since The Cell Games, I'm trying to help him get back to his family if you must know."

"He's the kid I was telling you about," said Eighteen, "You know, the one that protected Marron from those thugs."

"Hi Mister Unicorn!" the girl chimed happily from the table, waving at him.

The teenager's cheeks burned with embarrassment, as the gang regarded him curiously.

"Oh right!" said Krillin with a beaming smile, "Thanks for looking out for her man."

"It was nothing, really," Gohan replied with a shrug, trying to deter suspicion, "I suppose I was just in the right place at the right time. I er didn't really do anything, they eventually passed out from the fumes from the car bomb."

"Yes Videl was just telling us all about it, but even so it was very brave of you to stand up to such violent gang members like that," the blue haired woman gushed from Tien's side, before running up to him and shaking his hand, "My name is Launch by the way, and this is my husband Tien. Though these troublesome fellows and I go a long way back, especially Goku and Krillin."

Gohan's eyes widened, returning the handshake. He remembered his father talking about a woman named Launch from his adventures as a kid, apparently she had a personality disorder that was borderline terrifying, though he reasoned that he should be safe as long as he didn't do anything to make her sneeze. She and Tien must have reconnected somehow over the past eight years. It was good to see that the usually stoic man had found some happiness in his life and settled down.

"Er, nice to meet you," he mustered, as Goku began to introduce him to the rest of the gang.

It was strange, that was a given, being introduced to the people who he had known for all his life and called family. Though although he was somewhat relieved that they didn't recognise him, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"So amnesia huh? That's rough kid," observed Krillin, handing him another beer as his father put his hands on his shoulders and practically forced him into a seat, "Though Videl was saying you remembered that you were a friend of Gohan's?"

The young saiyan almost choked on his drink, as the gang looked at him expectedly.

"Um yeah, Gohan and I go way back," he mustered weakly, recovering from his coughing fit.

"Oh really?" his father blinked, "I didn't know that Gohan had any friends his own age."

"Yeah," Yamcha said solemnly, "He never really got chance to just be a kid did he? What with the world ending every five minutes. I'm glad he had a friend."

Gohan frowned, did they blame themselves for him not knowing anything but battle all his life? He had never even thought of his childhood like that. He had a lot of happy memories after all.

"From what he used to tell me he had loads of friends," the teenager stated boldly, causing them to look at him in confusion, "He never stopped going on about you lot and his adventures. He had a happy life, so don't think otherwise."

His old friends smiled at that, looking a little relieved.

"You seem to know a lot about him, but I never heard of him talk about anyone called Beerus," said Goku, "He only used to hang around with Icarus from what I know."

"That bloody dragon!" Yamcha laughed, "I almost forgot about that!"

"I certainly haven't," growled Master Roshi, "That little bastard used to chew up my precious reading material whenever Gohan would come to visit Kame House with him."

The gang burst into laughter at that, and the young saiyan couldn't help but laugh along with them. His heart feeling a little lighter, just like old times.

"Serves you right," Chi-Chi huffed, having caught the end of the conversation as she joined them and shooting a glare at the lot of them, "You should never have left those dirty magazines of yours lying around when Gohan was there. My precious baby boy could have quite easily picked them up and been scarred for life!"

"Nah I caught him with one once, he was fine Chi-Chi," said Krillin offhandedly, causing Gohan to gape angrily at him. He had to refrain himself from slapping him for being so uncouth.

"W-what?" his mother spluttered, eyes wide, "What do you mean you _caught_ him with one of those vile things?!"

"Aw come on Chi-Chi, it's not that big of a deal," shrugged Yamcha, though he failed to hide his amusement, "He was a growing boy at the time, he just got curious is all."

The young saiyan wished the ground would swallow him whole, he couldn't even look Videl in the eye, though he could hear her snickering along with the others. Even his grandfather was snorting into his champagne. He remembered the incident all too clearly. It was in the run up to The Cell Games when his mother and father shooed him out of the house for some alone time and he would be 'babysat' by Krillin, Roshi and Yamcha at Kame House. He had grown a lot in the year he had spent in The Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and as such was starting to experience changes in his body and beginning to notice girls. Curiosity got the better of him and although the eleven year old was certainly wise beyond his years, he was not tactful enough to not get caught flicking through one of Roshi's magazines by Krillin and Yamcha in one of the spare bedrooms. He had been embarrassed beyond belief, though his father's friends had thankfully been understanding of the situation and seen the funny side of it, albeit rather shocked at the time. After a rather _detailed_ lecture on the birds and the bees that had the poor boy blushing bright crimson, they had promised not to tell any one else, as long at the preteen vowed not to sneak around in the future.

As his friends recounted the details of the story with booming laughter, Gohan could all but sit there and silently fume. Traitors.

"Yeah I wondered why he was being so quiet all of a sudden," Krillin chuckled, as Yamcha wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I thought he just needed help with his homework or something," the baseball player snorted, "You can imagine our surprise when we walked in on him gawping at glamour models instead of math problems!"

"He even tried to hide it behind his back didn't he? Cheeky little bugger!" laughed Krillin, shaking his head in amusement as the rest of the table erupted again, though his mother did not look impressed.

"He'd be a right little stud now I bet you, not like you were at his age Goku," said Bulma, causing his father to frown.

"What do you mean?" he pouted.

"Mate, you thought marriage was food, enough said," said Yamcha with a roll of his eyes, sending the table into hysterics.

Even Chi-Chi chuckled, before turning to the red faced teenager, her onyx eyes narrowing dangerously at him, "So where did you meet my Gohan? I would have thought he would have at least mentioned you, unless you were the type to get him into trouble."

"Er, no ma'am" Gohan hesitated, beginning to sweat underneath her glare, "I er-"

"He might not remember just yet Chi-Chi, his memories are still a little hazy, right Beerus?" chimed Videl, saving his skin.

"Y-yeah sorry," he informed the gang, "I remember him, but my memory still isn't great."

"Thats okay Beerus," his father smiled, "I'm sure your memory will come back soon enough, Dende is a great healer."

"Yeah, thanks," he said lowly, averting his eyes to the table cloth, praying that they didn't ask him any more questions.

Luckily, when they realised that they weren't going to get anything out of the strange young man, the conversation soon changed to fighting styles and techniques, whilst his mother, Bulma and Launch complained about their punch happy husbands in an amused manner. Gohan kept silent, instead listening to the conversations around him, thankfully, Videl and supplied him with a tantalising plate of food to keep him occupied. As he sat listening, he managed to piece together snippets of what had happened to the Z-gang in his absence, and it was crazy to think how much the their lives had changed. As well as Krillin getting married and having a child, he worked for the police like Videl, though held an esteemed position in South City where the small family had moved to. Yamcha's baseball career had taken a huge leap as well as his bachelor status and his lust for training, and he and Puar we're currently touring the world with the Titans, although had apparently taken time out so he could attend the reunion.

As well as reuniting with an old flame, Tien had opened his own successful martial arts dojo with Chaiozu and the three lived deep in the Northern mountains. Master Roshi still lived with Oolong and Turtle on his tropical island in the South, forever living the easy life. Bulma, Vegeta and Trunks remained at Capsule Corp., and with Bulma's busy schedule as CEO, Vegeta had become every inch the doting father to Trunks and according to Bulma, would spend hours training with the boy in the high tech gravity simulator that Bulma had developed. Though from what he gathered, some of his parenting methods were…questionable.

His mother and father continued to prosper in their little home in Mount Paozu with their new son, with his father keeping up with his gruelling training schedule whilst throwing himself into his work as a farmer. He was glad to hear that his mother had finally gotten the man to hold down a proper job, albeit a strange concept to grasp for the young saiyan.

The only persons missing from the table were Vegeta, Piccolo and thankfully Majin Buu. He didn't understand why his old mentor hadn't joined them, even though he could sense him a ways off, keeping his distance. He couldn't help but think that maybe there was still tension between him and his father, even after their fight a few years ago. Though he supposed he would have to wait to find out.

Slowly but surely, the crowd started to dwindle, Roshi, Krillin and Yamcha had become rather raucous, and the majority of the group were variably intoxicated, the music still hammering in their ears. Gohan had refrained from drinking more than a couple of beers, for want of not letting anything slip. It was getting late, the velvet sky was littered with glistening stars, though the bright lights and pollution from the city made the stars rather difficult to see.

"And then, then do you remember?" Krillin laughed, tears in his eyes as he recounted the story, all eyes upon him, "He called Cell out for turning his back on him, saying he must have got those 'shit for brain cells from Frieza'!"

The gang roared with laughter, as the teenager could all but sink into his seat. They had been discussing The Cell Games for the last twenty minutes, and even though they had all been present, the lot of them were on the edge of their seats as the smaller fighter recounted the epic battle.

"I'd never heard that kid swear in my life! The look on Cell's face was priceless!" he chuckled, as Yamcha piped up enthusiastically.

"Who does that really?" he said in amusement, "Half dead, insulting two evil bastards in one before unleashing the biggest Kamehameha wave I've ever seen and destroying the enemy!"

"One handed too," said Tien with a grin.

"Great Kami I miss that kid," Krillin sighed, leaning back in his seat and casting his gaze out into the stars.

"We all do Krillin," said Master Roshi, looking rather solemn.

Gohan gulped down the lump in his throat, the all encompassing guilt threatened to suffocate him once more. He just wanted to scream _I'M RIGHT HERE!_ But he knew that it would be foolish. They couldn't know he was here, it would make everything far too complicated. He didn't want them to get hurt. He looked towards his father, who was busy staring into his empty glass, watching the ice melt. He hadn't said anything in a while, not since they had started talking about The Cell Games, and the young saiyan couldn't help but notice the pain evident in his eyes.

Slowly, he stood up, gaining the attention of the table.

"I'll be right back, excuse me," he said, catching Videl's curious gaze before hurrying away from the table.

He needed to find Vegeta, and quickly, attempting to focus all of his energy on his mission, mainly for want of not looking at his father's haunted eyes for a moment longer. Yet unfortunately he was drawing a blank, he suddenly couldn't sense the saiyan prince's energy anywhere. He frowned, was he masking it?

He was half way across the garden, when he spotted the children playing on the grass, their laughter ringing in his ears as they chased each other over the flower beds. He sought out Trunks immediately, that purple mop of hair far too unmistakable to miss, all too reminiscent of the young man he had met with the same name, the one from an apocalyptic future. The young boy, who was nine years old by his estimation bellowed as he tackled Goten to the ground. Goten, his estranged little brother yelped with glee, before rolling them over and sending them tumbling down the small hill that let back to the dance floor below. Marron was hot on their heels, her blonde wisps of hair whipping about her face as she leapt on top of them, the trio a tangle of limbs and laughter.

He stopped, watching them for a while, as they careened to a halt in front of the Z-gang's table, who chuckled at the children's antics, a tickle fight now ensuing between them. Gohan sighed to himself, the adults may not have been so accepting of his death, but it seemed as though the next generation was something different altogether. And eventually that would be what mattered. He still was a little unsure of his feelings towards his little brother, though it seemed that peace was rife with him - with them. And even though the young saiyan was sad not to be apart of it anymore, he felt as though his death had been worth it. For if he had never had sacrificed himself, his family and friends might never had lived like this.

He was still watching them, contemplating whether or not to help himself to more food when he felt a strong presence behind him. The teenager whirled around, his eyes narrowing when he was greeted with the beady eyes and smiling face of Majin Buu.

"What do _you_ want?" he glowered, his eyes darting around him, though he was thankful that the Z-gang were too distracted to hear. Good or not, Gohan was still not a fan of Buu. He had heard too many horrific stories of the creature that had been created by the vengeful Perses, and for some reason, the pink blob didn't seem to take the hint that he didn't want to be around him.

"Boy strong," Buu chirped happily, "Why does boy not want to fight Buu?"

"Shh!" Gohan growled, "Shut up will you, I'm not strong!"

"Boy very strong," he replied, cocking his head to one side, "Buu can see what others can't. Boy hiding his power. Buu wants to know why!"

"It's not of your business," he griped, "Now buzz off will you?"

"Boy mean," Buu pouted, "Buu want to fight!"

"Well tough luck," the young saiyan spat, turning on his heel, "You'll have to find someone else to fight."

"Boy stronger!" the Majin said louder, "Buu want to fight boy!"

"Will you _stop that_!" he snarled, narrowing his eyes at him, and attempting to keep his voice to a whisper, "You're giving the game away!"

"Game?!" Buu gasped, his dark eyes practically sparkling with glee, "Buu like games! Boy play with Buu!"

"No you idiot!" he hissed, slapping a hand to his face out of despair, "I'm not playing with you! Just stop it and go and play with someone else!"

Though Buu seemed angry at this, and frowned, "No! Boy don't tell Buu what to do! Buu turn you into candy and eat you!"

"I swear to you, you ugly piece of overgrown bubblegum," Gohan growled, stepping closer to the Majin, "If you try to fight me, you'll regret it."

"Buu not ugly!" He gasped, his fat chins wobbling, steam protruding out of the holes in his head.

"I'd watch that temper of yours if I were you Majin Buu," the young Destroyer smirked, unable to help himself, "Wouldn't want you to bust that fat gut of yours."

And then, everything happened at once. Majin Buu's Ki spiked dangerously, his anger getting the better of him as he aimed a deadly punch towards the halfling. Though Gohan was too fast for him, and reacting in an instant, tapped a few of his pressure points, completely paralysing him and causing him to crash to the ground in a pitiful heap. The impact of Buu's bulbous body was so great that it rocked the ground around them, and Gohan stared down at the brute with a hateful gaze.

"Beerus? What happened?!"

The teenager looked up, as he noticed the entire Z-gang hurrying towards them, on high alert as they had quite obviously felt Buu's energy rise to an incredible height before it depleted to almost nothing. They stared at him in shock, the seemingly unconscious Majin Buu at his feet. He didn't panic, as Gohan was certain that he had moved too fast for them to see what he had done.

"Um looks like he just passed out!" said Gohan with an innocent smile, as they looked at him with bewildered expressions, "Yep, Buu told me that he had a tummy ache before he hit the ground. He must have gotten sick from all those pudding cups he ate. Talk about a literal sugar crash, am I right?"

They blinked, though seemed to accept his answer, as Mister Satan groaned behind them. "Oh poor Buu, that's the third time he's done this. I don't know how I'm going to get him back home, I might need some help getting him into the car."

"No problem Mister Satan," he heard his father call, "We'll help. Buu's pretty heavy when he's sleeping."

As the gang started to mutter and accept his explanation, Gohan took his opportunity to bend down and nudge the Majin with his toe.

"Listen here you git," he whispered lowly, "I know you can hear me. I purposely left you conscious so that I can warn you. See, I've paralysed every atom in your body, if you try to fight me or dob me in again then I'll make sure those atoms of yours disappear, which means that you'll cease to exist. Good or not Majin Buu, you'll regret trying to challenge a Destroyer. Am I clear?"

"Boy clear! Boy clear!" Buu managed to squeak through slightly parted lips, his eyes widened in terror.

"Good," Gohan smirked, and suddenly Buu was back on his feet, causing the gang to gasp.

"Oh look he's up again!" said the teen with a smile, "Looks like you can all go back to enjoying the party now."

"Buu, are you alright?" Mister Satan asked tentatively, walking up to them and taking him by the shoulders.

The pink creature nodded firmly, before glaring at the halfling and stomping away from the confused group, Hercule hurrying along after him. The gang gazed curiously at the Majin's odd behaviour, before shrugging and moving back towards their table. He caught Piccolo's eye through the small crowd, who gave him a look that said _we'll talk later_ before he moved away. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gohan turned, almost bumping into Videl who was eyeing Buu's retreating back suspiciously.

"What's up with him?" she frowned.

"Dunno," he shrugged offhandedly, before turning towards her, "Care for a dance?"

The girl blinked, "A dance?"

"Who knows? I might be able to remember a few moves," He grinned back at her, before she allowed him to pull her by the hand and onto the dance floor.

Well, that was one way of covering his tracks he thought, as they disappeared into the throngs of party goers, an upbeat Charleston reaching their ears as it blasted over the speakers. Little did he notice the dark, spikey haired figure watching him intently from the shadows, who had seen every part of his exchange with Majin Buu.

* * *

_Originally posted: 26th October, 2018._


End file.
